Congress moves to fund space shuttle contractors' pensions

WASHINGTON Congress is getting nearer to closing a roughly $500 million gap in a pension fund for thousands of former space shuttle contractors. The Senate last week approved a $17.9 billion budget for NASA in fiscal 2012 that includes the pension ...

Close encounter: Asteroid flies close to Earth; experts say there’s no chance of impact

LOS ANGELES — An asteroid as big as an aircraft carrier zipped by Earth on Tuesday in the closest encounter by such a massive space rock in more than three decades.
Scientists ruled out any chance of a collision but turned their telescopes skyward to learn more about the object known as 2005 YU55.
Its closest approach to Earth was pegged at a distance of 202,000 miles at 6:28 p.m. EST. That’s just inside the moon’s orbit; the average distance between Earth and the moon is 239,000 miles.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/close-encounter-asteroid-to-fly-by-earth-tuesday-experts-say-theres-no-chance-of-impact/2011/11/08/gIQAow6vyM_story.html

Phobos-Grunt Mars probe loses its way just after launch

Russian space agency officials say the craft is currently stuck in an Earth orbit and that engineers have two weeks to correct the fault before the probe's batteries run out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15631472

Mars Express finds water supersaturation in the Martian atmosphere

Paris, France (ESA) Sep 30, 2011 New analysis of data sent back by the SPICAM spectrometer on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft has revealed for the first time that the planet's atmosphere is supersaturated with water vapour. This surprising discovery has major implications for understanding the Martian water cycle and the historical evolution of the atmosphere. Although numerous spacecraft have visited Mars over the past half a century, very few direct measurements of the vertical structure of the planet's atmosphere have been ...
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Express_finds_water_supersaturation_in_the_Martian_atmosphere_999.html

ATR Reports New Annual Sales Record

Has Signed Firm Orders For 145 Aircraft, Plus 72 Options, Since The Beginning Of The Year

Officials for European regional turboprop maker ATR say 2011 has been a record year for sales, with 145 firm aircraft orders and an additional 72 options since the beginning of the year. The value of these orders is estimated at 3.2 billion dollars (4.8 billion including the options). The previous record was in pre-recession 2007, with 113 firm orders and 26 options.
These 145 firm orders represent over 80% of all regional aircraft sales (from 50 to 90-seats) since the beginning of the year. ATR has registered 34% of these orders with six new customers.
At the same time, these 145 airplanes have enabled ATR to reach a new record for its order book, which has grown to 275 aircraft and is valued at 6.2 billion dollars. This backlog represents nearly 4 years of production. It also represents 68% of the total backlog of 50 to 90-seat regional aircraft, thereby confirming the renewed interest in turboprop technology.
The figures were unveiled Thursday morning by the Chief Executive Officer of ATR, Filippo Bagnato, at a news conference held in Rome, during the General Assembly of the European Regions Airline Association. “This sales record, and the year is not yet over, once again underlines the relevance of our product to meet the requirements of regional transport, which continues to expand worldwide," he said. "In terms of savings, ecology, performance and comfort, ATR aircraft, and the newest -600 series in particular, have become the benchmark for regional airlines worldwide. ATR aircraft enable regional airlines to come out ahead thanks to their low operating costs.”
ATR 72-600 File Photo

Along with the sales record, ATR announced several orders at the meeting. U.S.-based aircraft lessor Air Lease Corporation (ALC) has ordered 2 new ATR 72-600 regional turboprop aircraft. In 2010, ALC had taken positions for 10 ATR 72-600s, plus options for 10 additional aircraft. The contract announced Thusday is the conversion of two of these ten options. The two aircraft are valued at a list price of US$ 45 million. Deliveries of these two ATR 72-600s to ALC will occur in the spring of 2013.
And Danish regional aircraft leasing company Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) signed a contract Thursday for the purchase of 10 ATR 72-600s and 2 ATR 72-500s, plus options for 10 additional ATR 72-600s. The total amount of the deal, including options, is valued at $ 500 million. The 10 firm ATR 72-600s and the options had been previously inked, as Heads of Agreement, by both companies at the Paris Air Show last June, and now confirmed by the final contract signature. With the additional 2 ATR 72-500s unveiled today, NAC will bring to 103 the total fleet of ATRs in its portfolio. Deliveries of these two ATR 72-500s are scheduled before the end of the year. NAC will start receiving its ATR 72-600s next year.
Privately-owned NAC is the world’s largest turboprop leasing company. It currently has a portfolio of some 170 aircraft, including their 12 ATRs on order. NAC introduced ATR aircraft into its fleet in 2003, with the purchase of an ATR 42.

FMI: www.atr.com

China Airlines Joins Skyteam

Alliance Grows To 15 Members, Adds Taipei To Asian Hub Network

Global airline alliance Skyteam added China Airlines as its 15th member at a joining ceremony held in Taipei Tuesday. The flag passenger and cargo carrier of Taiwan, China Airlines becomes the first Taiwanese airline to join SkyTeam.
From its hub in Taipei, China Airlines operates a diverse passenger and cargo network throughout the wider Asia pacific region, North America and Europe, with a total of 224 daily departures to 80 destinations. The new member also brings three new destinations to the SkyTeam network: Okinawa and Miyazaki, Japan; and Surabaya, Indonesia.
Sdyteam says China Airlines complements the network of existing members, China Southern and China Eastern, and offers an extensive cross-strait operation to 20 major destinations in China. This provides SkyTeam customers with an unrivalled choice of travel options in the Greater China region.
"Thanks to excellent links to a number of existing SkyTeam hubs, China Airlines' membership adds value to the alliance for both passengers and cargo customers," said Michael Wisbrun, SkyTeam's Managing Director. "Adding a quality brand from a strong economic region will support SkyTeam's focus on our top priority- enhancing our products and services for our customers worldwide."
Delta president Ed Bastian attended the official joining ceremony in Taipei alongside representatives from fellow SkyTeam member airlines. "The addition of this well respected airline complements Delta's existing service to Taiwan and with China Airline's strong hub in Taipei our customers will benefit from improved access to one of the world's fastest-growing regions," he said.

FMI: www.skyteam.com

NASA Announces Two 'Game-Changing' Space Technology Projects

'Ride The Light' And Advanced Battery Projects Get Funding For Future Development

NASA has selected what is says are two "game-changing" space technology projects for development. The selections are part of the agency's efforts to pursue revolutionary technology required for future missions, while proving the capabilities and lowering the cost of government and commercial space activities.

"NASA's Game Changing Technology Development program uses a rolling selection process to mature new, potentially transformative technologies from low to moderate technology readiness levels -- from the edge of reality to a test article ready for the rigors of the lab," said Space Technology Director Michael Gazarik at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These two new projects are just the beginning. Space Technology is making investments in critical technology areas that will enable NASA's future missions, while benefiting the American aerospace community."

The "Ride the Light" concept seeks to provide external power on demand for aerospace vehicles and other applications. The concept uses beamed power and propulsion produced by commercially available power sources such as lasers and microwave energy. The project will attempt to develop a low-cost, modular power beaming capability and explore multiple technologies to function as receiving elements of the beamed power.

This combination of technologies could be applied to space propulsion, performance and endurance of unpiloted aerial vehicles or ground-to-ground power beaming applications. Development of such capabilities fulfills NASA's strategic goal of developing high payoff technology and enabling missions otherwise unachievable with today's technology.

NASA has awarded approximately $3 million for concept studies to multiple companies during this first phase of the Ride the Light project. Systems engineering and analysis during this first phase of the Ride the Light project will be done by Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville, AL, Aerojet in Redmond, WA, ATK in Ronkonkoma, NY, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, and Teledyne Scientific, Boeing, and the Aerospace Corp., all located in Los Angeles, CA. Following these studies, NASA expects to make an implementation decision in 2013.

NASA also has selected Amprius Inc. of Menlo Park, CA, to pursue development of a prototype battery that could be used for future agency missions. Amprius is teaming with JPL and NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on the project, with an estimated value of $710,000 for one year of development.

The Amprius project will focus on the material optimization of silicon anodes and electrolyte formulation to meet the agency's low-temperature energy requirements. Amprius developed a unique ultra-high capacity silicon anode for lithium ion batteries that will enable NASA to dramatically improve the specific energy of mission critical rechargeable batteries. NASA requirements are unique because of the extremely low temperatures encountered in space.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/oct

Falling NASA Satellite Could Spark Stunning Light Show

A NASA satellite the size of a school bus is just days away from taking a fiery plunge into Earth’s atmosphere and could set off a dazzling display when it does … if anyone is able to see it.
NASA's 6 ½-ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite is due to fall somewhere on Earth Friday (Sept. 23), though exactly where and when remains a mystery.

If you happened to be lucky enough to be within viewing range of a satellite that is re-entering the atmosphere, the sight, put simply, would amount to a short-lived but spectacular fireworks display. Unlike a fireball meteor, whose flight across the sky might take no more than a few seconds, a re-entering satellite’s path usually lasts much longer.
As the satellite descends to an altitude of about 50 miles (80 kilometers), friction with the atmosphere is converted to light and heat. As it moves on a relatively slow – one could almost use the adjective “majestic” – flight across the sky, what is usually seen is a long trail of light and sparks that can take on virtually every color of the rainbow. [Photos of NASA's Huge Falling Satellite UARS]
Small chunks of the satellite may be seen to break off and trail behind the main body. (NASA expects up to 26 pieces from UARS to survive re-entry and reach the ground.) If the re-entry occurs at night, it could light up the sky with a brilliance that easily rivals the full moon. Even if it occurs during the daytime, the satellite's fiery passage across the sky could be readily seen.
Notes veteran satellite watcher Kevin Fetter: "A nice sized [satellite] with a uncontrolled re-entry. What a nice light show it should put on, if the decay occurs where people can see it."
http://www.space.com/13036-nasa-satellite-falling-earth-skywatching-light-show.html

Complete Coverage of NASA's Falling Satellite UARS

An artist's concept of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) satellite in space. The 6 1/2-ton satellite was deployed from space shuttle Discovery in 1991 and decommissioned in December 2005.
CREDIT: NASA


A dead NASA satellite, called the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), is falling uncontrolled toward Earth and crash in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, Sept. 24. Agency officials are unable to pinpoint the exact time and location of the fall, but have said there is little risk of debris landing in populated areas. SPACE.com is providing full coverage of the UARS re-entry, including a look at the issues surrounding orbital debris and space situational awareness.
http://www.space.com/13018-falling-nasa-satellite-uars-complete-coverage.html

China's Tiangong 1 Space Lab

 China Manned Space Engineering OfficeThis artist's illustration from a China space agency video shows the Tiangong 1 space laboratory, a prototype module for the country's planned space station. http://www.space.com/13119-photos-tiangong-1-china-space-laboratory.html 

China Launches First Space Lab, Tiangong 1

China launches the Tiangong-1 space lab module Sept. 29, 2011 atop a Chinese Long March 2F rocket from the Gobi desert.

What is the Green Flight Challenge?

The CAFE Green Flight Challenge sponsored by Google will be held at the CAFE Foundation Flight Test Center at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif. The awards ceremony and exposition of the competing aircraft will be held Oct. 3, 2011 at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

The Expo will consist of static displays of the aircraft that participated in the challenge; exhibits of green transportation technology companies, aircraft companies, other green companies and NASA displays; fly-bys of participating aircraft; and an awards ceremony to recognize the winners of the challenge.

The Green Flight Challenge sponsored by Google (GFC) was announced at AirVenture 2009 in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 31, 2009. The flight competition focuses on efficiency. The aircraft need to meet stringent safety and noise requirements as well as reasonable speed and range. The driving requirement will be to exceed an equivalent fuel-efficiency of 200 passenger miles per gallon. The GFC marks the first time in history that full-scale electric-powered aircraft will fly in competition. To compute the equivalence, the energy content of the electricity or fuel will be compared to one gallon of gasoline.

SMC-IT 2011 is now history! Attendees, thanks for participating!

Stay tuned for further details on the next SMC-IT conference, tentatively scheduled for summer, 2013.

The role of space information technology has progressively grown in importance from the earliest days of space exploration to today, with the result that it often dominates the costs and schedules of space mission projects. The IEEE International Conference on Space Mission Challenges for Information Technology (SMC-IT) is the first forum to gather system designers, engineers, scientists, practitioners, and space explorers with the objective of advancing information technology for space missions. The forum will provide an excellent opportunity for fostering technical interchange on all hardware and software aspects of IT applications in space missions.
The conference will focus on current IT practice and challenges as well as emerging information technologies with applicability for future space missions. IT in all aspects of the space mission will be explored, including flight systems, relevant ground systems, science data processing, engineering and development tools, operations, and telecommunications. The entire IT lifecycle of the mission development will also be covered, such as conceptual design, engineering tools development, integration and test, operations, science analysis, and quality control.