RLV and Space Transport News

Robert Braun and NASA technology and prizes plans

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:49:22 -0500

Marcia Smith also posts the presentation (pdf) given by NASA Chief Technologist Dr. Robert Braun at the Goddard symposium: Braun Outlines Technology Plans, Including Reestablishing NIAC - spacepolicyonline.com - Mar.13.10.

Space Prizes points out the items in the presentation related to the Centennial Challenges program:
/-- Centennial Challenges Lunar Exploration Prize: April 26, 2010
/-- Solicitation/planning for ongoing programs (SBIR/STTR, Centennial Challenges, Flight Opportunities) proceeding on schedule
/-- 5 New Centennial Challenges in 2011

Blue Origin and Van Horn, TX

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:41:12 -0500

Via Parabolic Arc comes a link to this article about Blue Origin and how it has and has not affected Van Horn, Texas: Van Horn spaceport gets NASA backing - El Paso Times.

Briefs: Garver's timelines; Moon astronauts

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:23:32 -0500

Marcia Smith writes about Lori Garver's presentation last week at the Goddard symposium: Garver Graphically Illustrates Choices Between Constellation and the New Plan - SpacePolicyOnline.com.

See also the two timeline slides that Lori showed: Integrated_Timelines_NASA_March_2010 (pdf).
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Well, Buzz Aldrin is a "Moon astronaut", he has been very active in space projects, he certainly has spent plenty of time thinking "through the consequences" of canceling Constellation and he supports it: Obama Nasa plans 'catastrophic' say Moon astronauts - BBC News.

As the above timelines show, there is a better chance of getting to the Moon before 2030 with the new plan than with Constellation.

Space Access Society update

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:56:44 -0500

Here's the latest Space Access Society update from Henry Vanderbilt with details about the upcoming Space Access '10 conference in Phoenix, Arizona on April 8-10:

Space Access Society Policy Update, 3/12/10

The new White House NASA space exploration policy looks as promising as anything we've seen come from those quarters for a long time. Passing responsibility for basic space access to the US commercial sector while refocusing NASA on developing technologies for future transportation and deep-space exploration has potential to radically reduce the costs of both basic orbital access and deeper exploration, vastly expanding our future exploration and development possibilities.

But it's a long way from a promising new policy to a successful program. First, the Congress gets to decide what will and will not actually get funded on a year-by-year basis. Then, NASA has to execute whatever program emerges from Congress, one year at a time. A lot can go wrong at every step of the way.

Unsurprisingly, the most organized Congressional faction on this question so far is the coalition representing districts that will lose significantly under the new policy. You can't beat something with nothing. *If you support this new White House NASA space exploration policy, we strongly recommend that you write or call your Representative and Senators and tell them so.* (Paper mail is far more likely to be noticed than email, if you write.)

We will be discussing this new policy (among other things) intensively at our next annual conference, Space Access '10, April 8-10, Phoenix Arizona.

SA'10 Conference Info Update, 03/12/10

Space Access '10, our upcoming annual conference on the technology, politics, and business of radically cheaper access to space, featuring a cross-section of leading players in the field, will once again be the place to hear the latest on the fast-moving entrepreneurial new-space industry. Space Access conferences are set up to maximize opportunities for trading information and making deals. No rubber-chicken banquets, just an intensive single-track presentations schedule in a setting with plenty of comfortable places in the hotel and nearby to go off during the breaks, grab a drink or a bite, and talk.

SA'10 is less than a month away. Book your flights and rooms soon - early April is still winter sunshine tourist season in Phoenix, so affordable rooms and good airfares can be hard to come by at the last second. Also, next Thursday the 18th, three weeks out from the conference, is our room-block cutoff - remaining rooms in our reserved block will be opened up for rental to anyone who comes along on a first-come, first-served basis. Our discount room rate will remain available through the conference - but that's if rooms are available. Reserve now and be sure!

The agenda is near complete at this point, but there are still a couple things we're working on - stay tuned for further additions to the program. One way we get the up-to-the-minute latest on this new industry is to stay flexible right up to the last minute. Look for an initial program schedule late next week, and a detailed agenda about two weeks out from the conference.

Confirmed SA'10 speakers and presentations so far:

Armadillo Aerospace/John Carmack
Centennial Challenges/Andrew Petro, NASA HQ
Commercial RLV Technology Roadmap/Dan Rasky, NASA Ames
Copenhagen Suborbitals/Frank Smith
CruSR (Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research)/Mike Skidmore, NASA Ames
DC-X, High-Alpha and the Continued Quest for the VTVL Spaceplane/Bill Gaubatz, Layne Cook
FAA AST
Flometrics/Steve Harrington
Jeff Foust
Frontier Astronautics/Tim Bendel, Michael Carden
George Herbert, on "Project 248" - 2 people, 4 days, 800 kg: Minimal Capsule For A Ton-Class Launcher
Heron Aerospace/E.Parker Bradley
Gary Hudson, on The Past Forty Years In The Commercial Space Business And A View Of Its Future
Alan Ladwig/NASA HQ
Masten Space/Dave Masten
Charles Miller, Senior Advisor for Commercial Space, NASA HQ, on An NACA Approach To Low Cost Reliable Access To Space
Lasermotive/Jordin Kare
Jim Muncy, PoliSpace
Leik Myrabo, on The RPI Laser Propulsion Laboratory/International Collaboration On Hypersonic BEP With Brazil/LTI Work With Umea Institute of Design On 2-5 Passenger Lightcraft Design
Misuzu Onuki, on Japanese Space Venture Developments
Panel: Propellant Depots: "Impedance Matching" Between LEO Launch And Deep-Space Missions - Dallas Bienhoff, Jon Goff, Bernard Kutter or Frank Zegler
Panel: World Space Programs & Projects - Clark Lindsay, Dave Salt, Henry Spencer
Paragon Space Development/Jane Poynter
Rocketplane Global/Chuck Lauer
Rand Simberg
Space Diver/Rick Tumlinson
Space Frontier Foundation/Ryan McLinko
Space Studies Institute/Lee Valentine
SpeedUp/Bob Steinke
Henry Spencer, on Affordable Spaceflight Beyond LEO: Alternate Approaches & Paths Not Taken,
-- And on Realities Of Nanosat Launch: What Nanosats Are And What They Want From Launchers
Stratofox/Ian Kluft
Tethers Unlimited/Gerald Nordley
Unreasonable Rocket/Paul Breed
XCOR Aerospace/Jeff Greason

Overall Conference Schedule:
- Thursday April 8th, sessions 2 pm - ~10 pm
- Friday April 9th, sessions 9 am - ~10 pm
- Saturday April 10th, sessions 9 am - ~ 6 pm
- Space Access Hospitality Suite open till late all three nights.SA'10 takes place at the Best Western Grace Inn at 10831 South 51st St in Phoenix Arizona, ten miles from the Phoenix Airport via free hotel shuttle, in a pleasant suburban neighborhood with a variety of shopping and dining a short walk away, with free parking.

Our rates are the same as last year, both for SA'10 conference registration ($100 by check mailed in advance, $120 check cash or credit card at the door, student rate $30 either way) and hotel rooms ($99 a night for 1 or 2 - this rate includes all room taxes and full American hot buffet breakfast).

For hotel room reservations, phone the Grace Inn at 800 843-6010. Ask for the "space access conference rate" for our $99-inclusive discount room rate. (If you're attending, this rate is good for three days before and after the conference too, if you want to catch some extra Arizona springtime sun.)

For advance SA'10 conference registration, mail checks (we're working on it, but for the moment credit cards can be accepted only at the door) to

Space Access '10
5555 N 7th St #134-348
Phoenix AZ 85014.

If you mail in your registration, print, fill out, and send along this form so we'll have all the info we need to have your badge ready when you arrive.

-------Space Access '10 Advance Registration--------

Name _______________________________________

Organization _________________________________
(optional, will appear on badge, 20 characters max)

email _______________________________________
(for conference updates and newsletter)

amount enclosed ______________ for ____________

SpaceX Falcon 9 test firing videos

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:41:06 -0500

SpaceX has posted two videos of the firing test including the one below:

Update: Here is the wide view:

This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:01:34 -0500

The latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien, sponsored by Spaceflight Now, is available:

Falcon 9 pad test firing photos

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:43:21 -0500

Here are some cool photos of Saturday's test taken by Chris Thompson of SpaceX (click on images for larger versions):

Falcon 9 pad test firing a success

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:32:39 -0500

SpaceX has released this statement:

Today, SpaceX successfully completed a test firing of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40 located at Cape Canaveral. Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a period of 3.5 seconds.

Just prior to engine ignition, the pad water deluge system was activated providing acoustic suppression to keep vibration levels within acceptable limits. The test validated the launch pad propellant and pneumatic systems as well as the ground and flight control software that controls pad and launch vehicle configurations. The completion of a successful static fire is the latest milestone on the path to first flight of the Falcon 9 which will carry a Dragon spacecraft qualification unit to orbit.

Update: Here is a video (via spacearium) of the test recorded by a shaky AF camera. The test starts around 13 seconds into the video:

Update 2: Stephen Clark reports on the test: Falcon Launch Report | Fire in the hole: Falcon 9 rocket lights up on pad - Spaceflight Now.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fires its engines.

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:47:38 -0500

The Falcon 9 engines ignited on time at 12:30 for the pad test. Can't tell if the firing lasted the desired 3.5 seconds. There was some black smoke at the end but I assume that was just the burn off of some kerosene flushed from the system as happened in the first test.

Briefs: OTV/X-37B update; NASA costs vs DoD costs

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:05:18 -0500

An update on the OTV/X-37B now scheduled for launch on an Atlas V on April 19th: Secret Military Space Plane Primed For Test Launch - SPACE.com.
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Gary Payton, deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for space programs, apparently wants NASA to continue to subsidize DoD rockets: Air Force warns of increased launch costs - Air Force News - Mar.12.10.

Not clear from this article if he is talking just about the reduction in solid rocket motor production that would come from the end of Shuttle and the cancellation of Ares I. Payton has also been surprisingly negative about the possibility of crew flights with the EELVs. The EELV program was originally based on the notion that the vehicles would be used not just for military payloads but also for commercial satellites. The higher launch rate would drive down costs to DoD. The comsat business, however, has not grown as much as expected and the EELVs have also not been competitive with Arianespace and the other comsat launchers. So the cost to DoD of the EELVs have been higher than expected. One would think, that if one or both of the EELVs began launching crews then the higher rate would lower costs to DoD. Payton, however, has claimed, as I understand it, that the modifications to the vehicles to make them suitable for crews plus the need to have more versions of the vehicles could raise costs rather than lower them.

This seems very short sighted. Even if costs did rise in the short term, they should come down long term as ULA's launch rate grows and the vehicles become even more robust and reliable. Crew launch would certainly be a huge plus for ULA's business.

Also, Payton has not addressed the effect of a successful SpaceX Falcon 9 on DoD costs. It appears that Payton and the Air Force expect to use EELVs for the next half century and don't want to consider the possibility that a new entrant could lower launch prices and mess up their nice neat plans.

Update: Gary Hudson adds a comment here on what he believes Payton is worried about.

Rand Simberg posts an item about the AF article: Huh? - Transterrestrial Musings