Back To The Future

Editor’s note: As NASA moves ahead with designing the second stage of the CLV (Crew Launch Vehicle) which will feature a single J-2x engine, people at several NASA centers have been looking back at the last time NASA flew an upperstage with a single J-2 engine: the S-IVB.

The S-IVB was used on both Saturn 1B (second stage) and Saturn V (third stage) launch vehicles. Interestingly, the S-IVB was what Apollo used to perform the mission role that the new EDS (Earth Departure Stage) is being designed to do. Stay tuned.

Space Entrepreneurs Meet in Vegas

Attendees at LV conferences see no boundaries for commerce, exploration, Review Journal

“The Flamingo Las Vegas has become the unlikely epicenter of space-based commerce by hosting the third Lunar Commerce Executive Roundtable. The three-day event brought together 75 or so aerospace leaders, bankers and academics in a cooperative effort to develop new commercial applications and activities in space.”

Space advocates seek NASA course correction - MSNBC

Space advocates seek NASA course correction MSNBC - 7 hours ago LAS VEGAS - Radical surgery is needed on NASA?s vision for space exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond, according to a study released Monday by a space …

space company wins praise - BBC News

BBC News

space company wins praise BBC News, UK - 2 hours ago A Dundee company which has exported space technology to Nasa has won praise from the Scottish Executive. Star-Dundee has also had … Minister hails space company ic Scotland.co.uk all 8 related

Bigelow’s Big Gamble: Building a Space Station.

As a pathfinder demonstrator spacecraft, the Genesis-1 mission marks the birth of a long term vision to build and orbit space structures for commercial and public use. Footing the bill on this business venture, now gauged at upwards of a $75 million outlay, is Robert Bigelow…

NASA Vision Plans Doomed, Space Advocacy Group Reports.

LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Radical surgery is needed on NASA?s vision for space exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond, according to a study released today by the Space Frontier Foundation, a space advocacy group based in Nyack, New York…

China Warns U.S. Not to Sell Fighters To Taiwan.

Beijing has warned Washington not to proceed with a reported deal to sell fighterss to Taiwan, indicating it would impact on regional security and harm Sino-U.S. relations, state media said on July 21…

Cessna to Unveil Proof of Concept Light-Sport Aircraft.

Is Cessna going to enter the light-sport aircraft (LSA) market? Will the design be all-metal? A high-wing? How much will it cost? When will it be available? How will it improve on aircraft already on the market?..

Proposal Flight Ends In Near-Disaster

Couple Has A Bumpy Ride To “Yes” It was supposed to be a romantic flight, where family history would be made. And it was indeed that… but certainly not in the way Adam Sutton and Erica Broussee had in mind.

Where Else But Oshkosh?

I’d been on the ground at Oshkosh for three hours — three action packed hours. Then I realized: the show hasn’t even started yet. Man, this is going to be great.

ANN Welcomes Oshkosh 2006 Major Sponsor: Piper Aircraft

Piper Helps Bring ANN’s Special Coverage of AirVenture 2006 To YOU! AirVenture Main Aircraft Display Area 72-75, 79-82 From Cubs to Meridians… Piper may not build as many planes as some of the other boys, but boy, do they make each and every aircraft they build their own. From the Arrow-inspired Warrior trainer… to the Cherokee Six… to the Seminole and Aztec twins… Pipers are easy to spot on the ramp, and even easier to find pilots simply raving about their planes.

ANN Keeps Fast Company: Oshkosh 2006 Major Sponsor Columbia Aircraft

Speed! Style! Fixed Gear! And did we mention speed? Those are the hallmarks of Columbia Aircraft — whose 350 and 400 single engine planes live up to their billing of “higher, faster, farther.”

Griffin: Confusing Messages on the Need for ISS

NASA seeks help for human exploration of Mars, New Scientist

“NASA chief Michael Griffin appealed on Wednesday to the leaders of the world’s leading space agencies to join NASA in its bid to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars. Unless they do, he said, there will be little point in completing the International Space Station. The ISS will make a perfect staging post for such missions, he believes.”

Editor’s note:It is kind of odd to see Mike Griffin taunting the nations who signed on to build the ISS several decades ago with the idea that the U.S. might not meet its part of that decades-old committment if these nations don’t help bail NASA out of its most recent task: the VSE. Also, it is a little confusing to see Griffin cite the value of the ISS for Moon and Mars missions while simultaneously eviscerating the very science the ISS was supposed to be doing (biomedical) and eliminating the hardware required for that resarch - all of which would enable such long duration missions to be accomplished safely and productively.

Back at Full Strength, ISS Crew Takes a Break - Space.com

Space.com

Back at Full Strength, ISS Crew Takes a Break Space.com - 9 hours ago Three astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are taking a well-earned break one week after NASA?s shuttle Discovery left their orbital …

NASA’s 3D Guide to the Galaxy lets you interactively explore the … - Space Ref (press release)

Space Ref (press release)

NASA’s 3D Guide to the Galaxy lets you interactively explore the … Space Ref (press release) - 7 hours ago Using “plug in free” X3D technology in Demicron’s WireFusion, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s PlanetQuest web site is providing visitors with a unique …