Will Pomerantz says that the latest version of the official GLXP rules were released today: New Google Lunar X PRIZE Guidelines Released - X PRIZE Foundation.

The 2008 GLXP Team Summit opens next Tuesday in Strasbourg, France.

A press release from Bigelow Aerospace:

Bigelow Aerospace Signs Deal with Orion Propulsion
Innovative Attitude Control System Being Provided for Sundancer


LAS VEGAS, NV 05/15/08 – In a move to bring an innovative propulsion system to a revolutionary space habitat, Bigelow Aerospace, LLC has contracted Orion Propulsion, Inc. to supply the attitude control system for the forward end of Sundancer — the first commercial space habitat capable of supporting a human crew.

The contract, worth $4,826,000, was awarded in the first quarter of this year and the preliminary design review was completed this week. Multiple rounds of hot-fire testing and full-duration burn tests have already been conducted of the pioneering propulsion system that integrates with Sundancer’s life-support system.

“This program contains the right balance between analysis and iterative testing,” says Bigelow Aerospace Program Manager Eric Haakonstad. “Our environment is reminiscent of the creative atmosphere of the early space exploration era.”

The attitude control system (ACS) designed by Orion uses the hydrogen and oxygen bi-products from Sundancer’s environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) to generate the propellants for the thrusters. The forward ACS will be used for both attitude manipulation and momentum wheel de-saturation.

“I am very impressed that Bigelow Aerospace has chosen this innovative propulsion system solution utilizing the waste byproducts of the environmental control system for the world’s first commercial manned space destination,” says Orion Propulsion founder and CEO Tim Pickens. “Bigelow Aerospace and Orion Propulsion’s philosophy mesh well with our common desire to make space access affordable.”

About Orion Propulsion:
Orion Propulsion is a small, woman-owned aerospace company in North Alabama that specializes in rocket propulsion design, fabrication and hot and cold testing of rocket systems. Located just outside the “Rocket City” of Huntsville, Orion is strategically positioned to tap the technical resources and heritage of some of America’s greatest successful aerospace achievements. Orion is committed to affordable aerospace solutions for both the government and commercial sectors.

About Bigelow Aerospace:
The mission of Bigelow Aerospace is to open the frontier of space to all of humanity by dramatically reducing the cost of conducting human spaceflight activities. To this end, Bigelow Aerospace is developing orbital complexes utilizing innovative expandable space habitat technology. The Las Vegas-based firm’s affordable and flexible space complex architecture can be adapted for virtually any crewed or autonomous mission requiring a large pressurized volume. For more information, go to www.bigelowaerospace.com

A brief SpaceX update: Space business seeks lift from 3rd launch test - OrlandoSentinel.com. Elon seems pretty clear about his commitment to the effort:

"I will never give up. Never", he said.

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Notes from the Constellation teleconference: Constellation Update - NASA Watch.

BTW: This Air & Space article says:

Jones is part of an unofficial group of NASA actives and alums who have been studying, mostly on their own time, the particulars—engineering requirements, mission trajectories, scientific payoffs, and costs—of a human trip to an asteroid.

I assume the part not covered by "mostly" is mostly "unapproved work". I would hope that engineers at a R&D agency would not just be allowed but encouraged to use some small fraction of their paid time to work on research concepts of interest to them.

David S. F. Portree hosts the latest carnival of space bloggers: Carnival of Space #54 - Altair VI.

An update on Spaceport America in New Mexico and the effort to get one more county to pass a tax to support it: Spaceport director talks benefits for Otero - Alamogordo Daily News (via spacetoday.net).

Nice to see Burt Rutan is now out giving talks following his recovery from major surgery last year: Private space trips on the way: Rutan works to do what NASA has ‘neglected’ - Metro [CA] - May.14.08 (via spacetoday.net)
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Dick Stafford points to this article about the Quantum3 Ventures GLXP team: Shooting for the moon - Gazette [MD] - May.14.08
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An update on the Space Miles and Space Shuffle suborbital space tourism ride lottery: Space Miles announce the pending introduction of The Space Shuffle Lottery - Travel Daily News [Greece] - May.15.08 (via spacetoday.net)

The LAPCAT hypersonic civil transport project at
Reaction Engines is producing some spinoffs: EU hypersonic project could benefit Vital engines - Flight Global.

BTW: as the article points out, LAPCAT was awarded a phase two contract last fall: Bulletin: EU, European Space Agency Study.

A discussion of parachutes and parawings for capsule landings: The Last Five Kilometers - Gravity Loss
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Meanwhile, NASA will give a progress report today at 2:00 pm EDT on its effort to time travel to 1966: Calendar of Events: NASA Media Update About Constellation Program Progress - SpaceRef
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And here is another article on the Astrium/DLR crew vehicle concept: European manned spaceflight plan proposed - The Register (via spacetoday.net).

And one on the ESA/Roskosmos approach: Roskosmos, ESA to Create Spaceship for Moon Flights - Kommersant Moscow (via spacetoday.net).

A reader noted a related topic: Crew Space Transportation System - Wikipedia

ISDC 2008 and the Space Investement Summit are coming up soon. There will be talks by a wide range of featured speakers and presentations about many different projects. Here, for example, is an announcement I got from the MarsDrive team:

MarsDrive will be attending and presenting at the annual International Space Development Conference this year- ISDC 2008 at the Capital Hotel in Washington D.C. MarsDrive Director of Engineering, retired NASA engineer Ron Cordes will be making a presentation at 4:30PM on Saturday May 30th in the Ohio Room titled "The Mars Consortium" which will outline our progress to date on a new humans to Mars mission design and a strategy on how it could be funded.

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Jeff Krukin discusses what is not "the most effective way to explore, settle, and develop the solar system" : "We Became Our Own Customers"

Check out the simulation program Space Shuttle Mission 2007^tm pointed to by a reader. More links on my Space-for-All blog.

Elon Musk says SpaceX will offer crew capability by early 2011 if provided with COTS D funding: SpaceX Claims Crew Transfer Ability By 2011 - Aviation Week
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More about the EADS Astrium/DLR orbital crew vehicle concept: Aiming for the Stars: Europe Plans to Build Manned Spaceship -Spiegel - May.14.08 (via spacetoday.net).
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A Progress vehicle heads for the ISS with supplies: Cargo ship begins flight to the space station - Spaceflight Now.

Gregg Easterbrook discusses the threat from asteroids and comets: The Sky Is Falling: The odds that a potentially devastating space rock will hit Earth this century may be as high as one in 10. So why isn’t NASA trying harder to prevent catastrophe? - The Atlantic - June.2008

[Update: A response from Rand Simberg to Easterbrook's article: Don't
Know Much About Space Policy - Transterrestrial Musings]
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Rob Coppinger discusses this Roscosmos announcement of a joint project to study development of a crew capsule: Roscosmos: Crew Space Transportation System is a conical capsule - Hyperbola.

Space Prizes points to an article in the latest Popular Science magazine about Frontier Astronautics and their low cost Viper rocket engine: A Rocket Engine for the Masses: Tim Bendel's off-the-shelf powerplant for the burgeoning private space industry - Popular Science. Includes a video report.
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A gallery of pictures of the GLXP teams: Google's Lunar X Prize: The contenders - CNN.com
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More about the Electric solar wind sail concept: Scientist Sells the Electric Sail for Space Propulsion - IEEE Spectrum - May 2008

EADS Astrium and the German Space Agency (DLR) propose a manned vehicle spinoff from the ATV program: Europe could get manned spaceship - BBC - May.13.08
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NASA related propulsion items:
/-- NASA's J-2X Moving Into CDR - Aviation Week - May.13.08
/-- Aerojet Completes Early Risk Reduction Engine Testing for NASA's Orion Crew Module - Aerojet - May.13.08
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Progress in lightweight thermal protection materials: NASA's Insulation Material Named NASA Government Invention of 2007 - NASA - May.13.08

Smithsonian's Air & Space Magazine offers a couple of interesting space related articles in the latest issue:
/-- Where the Sun Does Shine: Will space solar power ever be practical?
/-- The Million Mile Mission: A small band of believers urges NASA to take its next step onto an asteroid
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If you scan the selection of "Top Stories" videos here - Video at CNNMoney - you will see titled "Rocket racing set for launch" that is an interview with Granger Whitelaw of the Rocket Racing League.