NewSpace in 2011
A log of the Ups and Downs in entrepreneurial spaceflight
Most recent change: Feb.4.12
Log up to date through: Dec.31.11
..
This video animation shows
how the Stratolaunch
system
will put a payload into orbit. Announced on December
13th, the
air launch rocket system designed by Burt Rutan will
involve building the
largest aircraft in history to carry a multi-stage
rocket built by
SpaceX. It will put 13,500 lbs into low earth orbit.
First rocket flight
is scheduled for 2016.
This page provides a compilation of links to articles,
blog postings, videos, and other resources for significant
events and developments during 2011 in the New
Space area. Unless otherwise indicated, the links
are to the Space
Transport News blog.
Note: I exclude most of the posts related to
the NASA budget and policy fights in Congress. This
would overwhelm the log here and is not directly related
to New Space except for areas such as the commercial
crew transport services. See Space
Transport News and the Space
Policy category for posts about the NASA budget
controversy and battles.
The following Highlights section describes particular
NewSpace events of interest during the 2010 and points
to sets of links with additional information and resources
about those events.
Dec.
15: NASA
decides to return to the use of Space Act Agreements
for the Commercial Crew Program, as was used on
the COTS and first two phases of the CCDev program,
rather than the far more intrusive and costly
FAR standard procurement system.
Dec.
13: Paul
Allen announced a plan by his Stratolaunch
Systems company to build an ambitious air
launch rocket system that will involve building
the largest aircraft in history to carry a multi-stage
rocket. The rocket will be a variation of the
SpaceX Falcon 9 and will put 13,500 lbs into LEO.
The system was designed by Burt Rutan. The firist
rocket flight is scheduled for 2016.
Dec.
9: NASA
sets Feb 7, 2012 for the target date for the Falcon
9 launch of a Dragon spacecraft to rendezvous
and dock with the ISS. This will combine the COTS
2/3 demonstration flights for SpaceX.
Dec.
8: Blue
Origin announces they will do engine tests
at NASA Stennis center.
Dec.
4: Armadillo
Aerospace launches STIG-A tube rocket from
Spaceport America. It reaches 42 km & is recovered
with only minor damage.
Nov.18:
The FAA approved the environmental impact request
by SpaceX for the tests of the Grasshopper low
altitude suborbital vehicle, which is a prototype
of their reusable first stage for the Falcon 9.
Nov.17:
Blue Origin debuts revamped website and includes
two videos of the successful short vertical flight
of their PM2 vehicle in May 2011. (PM2 later failed
in a high velocity flight in August 2011.)
Nov.15:
The German insurance firm Allianz Global Assistance
will offer insurance for both "space travelers
and space line operators".
Oct.27:
The annual SEDS SpaceVision conference took place
in Boulder, Colorado. Many talks on NewSpace related
topics.
Oct.
20: The design for the abort/landing system
for the SpaceX Dragon capsule passes its preliminary
design review, which was a milestone in the SpaceX/NASA
CCDev Phase 2 program. Also, the Dragon spacecraft
for the COTS 2/3 flight goes to the Cape for integration
with its Falcon 9 rocket.
Oct.
19: The two day International Symposium on
Personal & Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS 2011)
opened in Las Cruces, NM.
Oct.
19: It becomes known that an internal NASA
study found that a deep space exploration architecture
based on fuel depots and commercial launchers
would save "tens of billions" of dollars
over the SLS super heavy lifter approach.
Oct.
19: Abu Dhabi investment company Aabar Investments
puts another $110M into VG:
Oct.
17: A dedication ceremony was held for the
terminal/hangar facility at Spaceport America.
Oct.
17: The GAO released a report critical of
the DoD's plan to make a large bulk purchase of
40 launches from ULA.
Oct.
14: The USAF, NRO and NASA agreed on a joint
policy for how to award launch contracts for their
unmanned payloads. New firms will be allowed to
launch payloads with the least risk to the programs
of the agencies while only launchers with the
best records will launch the most important payloads.
Sept. 29:
SpaceShipTwo went into a spin soon after release
from the WhiteKnightTwo carrier. Going into the
feather configuration brought it out of the spin
and they landed safely.
Sept.29:
Bigelow Aerospace laid off about 40% of its workforce
due to expected delays in development of commercial
orbital space transport systems. They will concentrate
on the joint project with Boeing on the CST-100
crew capsule projectand return later to the BA-330
habitat development.
Sept.29:
In a speech to the National Press Club in D.C.,
Elon Musk announced that SpaceX has begun development
of a fully and rapidly reusable version of the
Falcon 9/Dragon system. In addition to the Dragon,
both the first and second stages will return to
the launch site via powered landings. The Grasshopper
project will test the first stage vertical
takeoff and landing systems.
Sept.24:
An environmental impact statement submitted by
SpaceX to the FAA reveal a new proejct involving
a modified first Falcon 9 first stage that will
test vertical takeof and landing techniques at
the Texas facility. The company has not elaborated
on its purpose. It's believed by many that this
vehicle is a test for a flyback first stage for
the Falcon 9.
Sept.19:
The Spaceship Company (TSC) officially opened
its new factory in Mojave. TSC is the joint Virgin
Galactic/Scaled Composites company that will build
WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo vehicles for use
by Virgin Galactic and potentially to sell to
other companies.
Sept.19:
NASA posts draft Request for Proposals (RFP) documents
for the next phase in the commercial crew program.
Instead of CCDev-3 it will be called "Commercial
Crew Integrated Design Contract:
Sept.16:
NASA announces that for the next phase in the
commercial crew transportation program, they will
use a modified but standard government contracting
process (FAR) rather than the Space Act Agreements
used for the commercal cargo program. This could
mean far more intrusive oversight into the design
and building of the vehicles and higher paperwork
overhead.
Sept.15:
XCOR and Space Expedition Curaçao (SXC) finalize
their wet lease agreement. Flights to start with
Lynx in 2014. "Eight-figure" payment
made to XCOR.
Sept.13:
ATK and NASA announced the signing of an unfunded
Space Act Agreement for the study of the Liberty
vehicle for the commercial crew launch program.
Liberty consists of ATK's 5-segment first stage
booster and Ariane 5 upper stage.
Sept.
2: News of the test flight failure of the
Blue Origin prototype suborbital vehicle PM-2
on August 24th came out in the Wall Street Journal.
Aug.26:
The FAA award infrastructure grants to commercial
spaceports at Wallops Island, Mojave, and New
Mexico.
Aug.25:
Virgin Galactic/Scaled announced that the first
full duration firing test of the Rocket Motor
Two for the SpaceShipTwo had been carried out.
Aug.24:
Blue Origin flew their PM-2 vehicle but after
reaching Mach 1.2 and 45,000 feet an instability
occurred that led to thrust termination by the
safety system. The vehicle apparently was destroyed
on landing.
Aug.
12: None of the entries in the 2012 Strong
Tether Challenge wins the $2M purse.
Aug.
9: NASA announces selection of seven firms
for commercial suborbital space access services
contracts.
Aug.
8: NASA announces 30 proposals accepted for
the reopening of the NASA Institute for Advanced
Concepts program
Aug.
5: NASA announces contract for study of orbital
cryogenic fuel depot.
Aug.
4: Boeing announces that they have selected
the Atlas V to carry their CST-100 crew capsule
to orbit.
July 21:
NASA gives SpaceX preliminary approval to combine
its COTS 2 and 3 flights into one mission, which
will launch on Nov. 30th and arrive at the station
on Dec. 7th.
July
20: At a NASA forum, agency officials announce
a plan to operate the Commercial Crew program
in a more traditional procurement contracting
(FAR) mode rather than with Space Act Agreementa
as ws used for the COTS commercial cargo delivery
program. This will mean much more red-tape, interference
by NASA in the vehicle development programs and
much higher costs.
July
15: NASA and ULA announce an unfunded agreement
in which the two organizations will work to human-rate
the Atlas V launcher for use with the commercial
crew program.
July
14: Bigelow Aerospace will drop development
of the Sundancer manned orbital module and will
expedite development of the larger BA-330 modules.
July
13: A ground-breaking ceremony is held at
Vandenberg AFB for the launch facility for the
SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
July
11: The Planetary
Science Institute (PSI) and XCOR
Aerospace announced the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding that lays the groundwork for
flying the human-operated Atsa Suborbital Observatory
aboard XCOR’s Lynx spacecraft.
July 7:
SNC and NASA sign an agreement that will allow
SNC to use Kennedy Space Center facilities for
preparation of their Dream Chaser for flight.
June 4:
Compenhagen Suborbitals launches their Heat 1-X
hybrid rocket with Tycho Brahe module, which was
recovered. The altitude was modest but this was
their first successfu flight.
June 11:
During a free flight of Armadillo's SuperMod vehicle
"Dalek", an abort occured due a mechanical
failure in the fuel plumbing. The parafoil deploys
successfully but the heavy fuel load results in
a hard landing.
June
13: SpaceX and Thaicom announce that a Falcon
9 will launch a Thaicom satellite (to be built
by Orbital Sciences) to geostationary orbit in
2013.
June 14-15:
WhiteKightTwo and SpaceShipTwo carry out drop
glide tests two days in a row for the first time.
May
27: The FAA approves ZERO-G parabolic flight
services for qualification and training of the
crews of suborbital launch operators.
May
23: The Orrery group invests in the NewSpace
style startup company Altius Space Machines.
May
20: UP Aerospace successfully launches a SpaceLoft
XL suborbital rocket from Spaceport America with
educational and commercial payloads aboard.
May
19: Space Florida awards a $400,000 contract
with Masten Space Systems to carry out launches
with their Vertical-takeoff, Vertical landing
rocket at the Cape Canaveral
May
13: NASA releases a report that gives an assessment
of potential non-government markets for the rocket
vehicles supported by NASA's commercial cargo
and crew programs. In an appendix the report says
that the total development cost ($390M) for the
SpaceX Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets was ten times
less than what the cost model predicted for a
Falcon 9 developed in NASA with the standard program
approach. The reports also said NASA had verified
the SpaceX cost numbers.
May.
5: Space Adventures announces that it has
sold one ticket for its two person trip around
the Moon in a Russian Soyuz spaceship. In negotiations
for the second ticket.
May. 5:
Bigelow Aerospace announces that tests have begun
of the environmental life support system intended
for their orbital habitats. Test subjects will
stay in an enclosed module, starting with short
periods and then gradually increasing to longer
and longer periods.
Apr.28:
As the 10 year anniversary of Dennis Tito's flight
to the ISS approached (April 28, 2001), the first
genuine space tourist flight, there were many
articles and reflections on the flight and on
the prospects for space tourism in general.
Apr.19:
NASA announces that four proposals had won grants
in the Commercial Crew Development, Phase 2 competition:
Blue Origin, Boeing, Sierra Nevada, and SpaceX.
Mar.21:
XCOR/ULA announce the successful demonstration
of an aluminum alloy rocket nozzle and the start
of a new collaboration on development of a new
LOX/LH2 engine.
Mar.14:
TripAlertz
announced that it would offer group purchasing
discounts on tickets for rides on XCOR's Lynx
Mk. I vehicle. In addition, they have a promotional
sweepstakes in which the winner gets a Lynx ticket.
Mar.14:
MDA announced that Intelsat signed a contract
to become the anchor customer for MDA's satellite
refueling and servicing spacecraft.
Mar.14:
The large European satellite operator SES announced
a contract with SpaceX to launch a medium sized
communications satellite in 2013.
Mar.9:
SpaceX announces a major expansion to its test
site facility in Texas.
Mar.5:
The Garvey Spacecraft/Cal State University, Long
Beach rocket collaboration launched the reusable
LOX/Ethanol powered Prospector
18A rocket on a low-altitude test flight from
the FAR
site in Mojave, California.
Feb.28-Mar.2
- A successful Next-Generation Suborbital Research
Conference took place in Orlando, Florida with
355 attendees.
Feb.28:
Virgin Galactic announces that Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI) has deposits on 2 seats and options
on 6 more seats for suborbital research projects.
Feb.24:
XCOR announces that Southwest Research Institute
(SwRI) has purchased 6 rides on the Lynx Mk I
for suborbital research projects.
Feb.18:
SpaceX says it will put Falcon 1 development on
low priority and focus on Falcon 9 and Falcon
9 Heavy.
Feb.16:
The Virginia legislature passes a bill that would
transfer to the Virginia spaceport authority the
tax revenue obtained from commercial spaceflight
activities such as when Space Adventures sells
tickets for flights to the ISS.
Feb.10:
The SpaceX Dragon capsule launched and returned
from orbit last December is put on display in
Washington D.C. during the FAA conference.
Feb.9:
FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference
attracts over 400 attendees.
Feb.8:
ATK announces a partnership with Astrium to create
a rocket from a solid rocket booster first stage
and a Ariane 5 second stage to compete in NASA's
commercial crew launch services program.
Feb.6:
Astrobotic Technologies, a competitor in the Google
Lunar X PRIZE, reserves a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher
to send its spacecraft to the Moon.
Feb.5:
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver makes high
profile visits to Bigelow Aerospace to discuss
their space station plans and to
SNC to see Dream Chaser.
Feb.3:
United Space Alliance (USA) announces they are
seeking funding to study feasibility of a commercial
space shuttle service for NASA.
Feb.2:
Bigelow Aerospace and Space Florida sign Memorandum
of Understanding on cooperation.
Feb.2:
The revamp of management of the New Mexico spaceport
by the new governor continued during the month.
Jan.
31: Bigelow Aerospace and UAE Abu Dhabi announce
the signing of a MOU to use BA orbital stations.
Jan. 23:
The first Armadillo
Aerospace update in several months describes
their Tube Rocket for testing high altitude components
and techniques.
Jan.
17:SpaceX
gave an update on its proposal to NASA's Commercial
Crew Development - Phase 2 program. They released
an animation of their proposed crew escape system
that needs to be developed for a crew capable
Dragon capsule. The system remains with the capsule
throughout the flight and allows for pinpoint
powered landings on a hard pad rather than a splashdown
at sea.
Jan.
14: NASA and Bigelow Aerospace hold a workshop
to discuss possible BA modules for the ISS. More
details released
later about the Bigelow Expandable Activity
Module (BEAM), which would provide additional
storage space for the ISS.
Jan. 12:Space
Adventures announced a deal with the Rederal
Space Agency of the Russian Federation (FSA) and
Rocket Space Corporation Energia (RSC Energia)
in which they will expand production of Soyuz
vehicles to allow for one seat for commercial
paying passengers beginning in 2013.
Jan.
11: Masten
Space begins static firing tests of "Brutus"
that will be their first high altitude vehicle.
Jan.
6:Excalibur
Almaz brings two Russian Almaz space station
modules to their Isle of Man facilities.
Jan.
5: The new governor of New Mexico asked for
the resignation of Rick Homans from his job as
director of Spaceport
America. Gov. Susana Martinez also requested
an audit of the project. However, she also emphasized
that she supports the project.
December
..
On Sunday Dec.
4th:, Armadillo
Aerospace launched their STIG-A tube rocket
from Spaceport America in New Mexico to an altitude
of 42 km. It returns by parachutes
and is recovered with only minor damage.
Highlights:
Dec. 15:
NASA
decides to return to the use of Space Act Agreements
for the Commercial Crew Program, as was used on the
COTS and first two phases of the CCDev program, rather
than the far more intrusive and costly FAR standard
procurement system.
Dec.
13: Paul
Allen announced a plan by his Stratolaunch
Systems company to build an ambitious air launch
rocket system that will involve building the largest
aircraft in history to carry a multi-stage rocket.
The rocket will be a variation of the SpaceX Falcon
9 and will put 13,500 lbs into LEO. The system was
designed by Burt Rutan. The firist rocket flight is
scheduled for 2016.
Dec. 9:
NASA
sets Feb 7, 2012 for the target date for the Falcon
9 launch of a Dragon spacecraft to rendezvous and
dock with the ISS. This will combine the COTS 2/3
demonstration flights for SpaceX.
Dec. 8:
Blue
Origin announces they will do engine tests at
NASA Stennis center.
Dec. 4:
Armadillo
Aerospace launches STIG-A tube rocket from Spaceport
America. It reaches 42 km & is recovered with
only minor damage.
..
Secretive Blue
Origin debuted a revamped
website and included
two video views of a short "hop" flight by
their PM-2 vehicle in May 2011.
The vehicle was later destroyed during a test
flight in August in which they
attempt to go supersonic and to high altitudes.
Highlights:
Nov.18:
The FAA approved the environmental impact request
by SpaceX for the tests of the Grasshopper low altitude
suborbital vehicle, which is a prototype of their
reusable first stage for the Falcon 9.
Nov.17:
Blue Origin debuts revamped website and includes two
videos of the successful short vertical flight of
their PM2 vehicle in May 2011. (PM2 later failed in
a high velocity flight in August 2011.)
Nov.15:
The German insurance firm Allianz Global Assistance
will offer insurance for both "space travelers and
space line operators".
Oct.27:
The annual SEDS SpaceVision conference took place
in Boulder, Colorado. Many talks on NewSpace related
topics.
Oct.
20: The design for the abort/landing system for
the SpaceX Dragon capsule passes its preliminary design
review, which was a milestone in the SpaceX/NASA CCDev
Phase 2 program. Also, the Dragon spacecraft for the
COTS 2/3 flight goes to the Cape for integration with
its Falcon 9 rocket.
Oct. 19:
The two day International Symposium on Personal &
Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS 2011) opened in Las
Cruces, NM.
Oct.
19: It becomes known that an internal NASA study
found that a deep space exploration architecture based
on fuel depots and commercial launchers would save
"tens of billions" of dollars over the SLS
super heavy lifter approach.
Oct. 19:
Abu Dhabi investment company Aabar Investments puts
another $110M into VG:
Oct.
17: A dedication ceremony was held for the terminal/hangar
facility at Spaceport America.
Oct. 17:
The GAO released a report critical of the DoD's plan
to make a large bulk purchase of 40 launches from
ULA.
Oct.
14: The USAF, NRO and NASA agreed on a joint policy
for how to award launch contracts for their unmanned
payloads. New firms will be allowed to launch payloads
with the least risk to the programs of the agencies
while only launchers with the best records will launch
the most important payloads.
..
On September
29th, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX would begin
development of a fully and rapidly reusable version
of the Falcon 9/Dragon
launch system. This animation shows the general way
that this would work.
Highlights:
Sept. 29:
SpaceShipTwo went into a spin soon after release from
the WhiteKnightTwo carrier. Going into the feather
configuration brought it out of the spin and they
landed safely.
Sept.29:
Bigelow Aerospace laid off about 40% of its workforce
due to expected delays in development of commercial
orbital space transport systems. They will concentrate
on the joint project with Boeing on the CST-100 crew
capsule projectand return later to the BA-330 habitat
development.
Sept.29:
In a speech to the National Press Club in D.C., Elon
Musk announced that SpaceX has begun development of
a fully and rapidly reusable version of the Falcon
9/Dragon system. In addition to the Dragon, both the
first and second stages will return to the launch
site via powered landings. The Grasshopper
project will test the first stage vertical takeoff
and landing systems.
Sept.24:
An environmental impact statement submitted by SpaceX
to the FAA reveal a new proejct involving a modified
first Falcon 9 first stage that will test vertical
takeof and landing techniques at the Texas facility.
The company has not elaborated on its purpose. It's
believed by many that this vehicle is a test for a
flyback first stage for the Falcon 9. rF9debut
Sept.19:
The Spaceship Company (TSC) officially opened its
new factory in Mojave. TSC is the joint Virgin Galactic/Scaled
Composites company that will build WhiteKnightTwo
and SpaceShipTwo vehicles for use by Virgin Galactic
and potentially to sell to other companies.
Sept.19:
NASA posts draft Request for Proposals (RFP) documents
for the next phase in the commercial crew program.
Instead of CCDev-3 it will be called "Commercial
Crew Integrated Design Contract:
Sept.16:
NASA announces that for the next phase in the commercial
crew transportation program, they will use a modified
but standard government contracting process (FAR)
rather than the Space Act Agreements used for the
commercal cargo program. This could mean far more
intrusive oversight into the design and building of
the vehicles and higher paperwork overhead.
Sept.15:
XCOR and Space Expedition Curaçao (SXC) finalize their
wet lease agreement. Flights to start with Lynx in
2014. "Eight-figure" payment made to XCOR.
Sept.13:
ATK and NASA announced the signing of an unfunded
Space Act Agreement for the study of the Liberty vehicle
for the commercial crew launch program. Liberty consists
of ATK's 5-segment first stage booster and Ariane
5 upper stage.
Sept. 2:
News of the test flight failure of the Blue Origin
prototype suborbital vehicle PM-2 on August 24th came
out in the Wall Street Journal.
Sept.7:
Masten said during a presentation at the Goddard
commercial reusable space vehicle workshop that
they have carried out "~130 flights on 3
reusable vehicles, including 3 more Xaero flights
today".
Aug.26:
The FAA award infrastructure grants to commercial
spaceports at Wallops Island, Mojave, and New Mexico.
Aug.25:
Virgin Galactic/Scaled announced that the first full
duration firing test of the Rocket Motor Two for the
SpaceShipTwo had been carried out.
Aug.24:
Blue Origin flew their PM-2 vehicle but after reaching
Mach 1.2 and 45,000 feet an instability occurred that
led to thrust termination by the safety system. It
apparently was destroyed on landing.
Aug. 12:
None of the entries in the 2012 Strong Tether Challenge
wins the $2M purse.
Aug.
9: NASA announces selection of seven firms for
commercial suborbital space access services contracts.
Aug.
8: NASA announces 30 proposals accepted for the
reopening of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts
program
Aug.
5: NASA announces contract for study of orbital
cryogenic fuel depot.
Aug.
4: Boeing announces that they have selected the
Atlas V to carry their CST-100 crew capsule to orbit.
July 21:
NASA gives SpaceX preliminary approval to combine
its COTS 2 and 3 flights into one mission, which will
launch on Nov. 30th and arrive at the station on Dec.
7th.
July
20: At a NASA forum, agency officials announce
a plan to operate the Commercial Crew program in a
more traditional procurement contracting (FAR) mode
rather than with Space Act Agreementa as ws used for
the COTS commercial cargo delivery program. This will
mean much more red-tape, interference by NASA in the
vehicle development programs and much higher costs.
July 15:
NASA and ULA announce an unfunded agreement in which
the two organizations will work to human-rate the
Atlas V launcher for use with the commercial crew
program.
July
14: Bigelow Aerospace will drop development of
the Sundancer manned orbital module and will expedite
development of the larger BA-330 modules.
July 13:
A ground-breaking ceremony is held at Vandenberg AFB
for the launch facility for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
July 11:
The Planetary
Science Institute (PSI) and XCOR
Aerospace announced the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding that lays the groundwork for flying
the human-operated Atsa Suborbital Observatory aboard
XCOR’s Lynx spacecraft.
July 7:
SNC and NASA sign an agreement that will allow SNC
to use Kennedy Space Center facilities for preparation
of their Dream Chaser for flight.
..
On June 11th, Armadillo
Aerospace made an untethered flight test of the
SuperMod vehicle (nicknamed "Dalek") with
a new high power engine and other upgrades.
A crack in a pipe within the fuel tank had been seen
before the flight and an on-pad repair
was attempted. However, early in the flight the pipe
broke off completely and led to a series
of faults that finally resulted in a engine thrust going
haywire. Then engine was cutoof and a
parafoil was successfully deployed. However, the weight
of the nearly full propellant tanks
resulted in a ard landing with some damage to the vehicle.
See the AA flight test report here.
Highlights:
June 4:
Compenhagen Suborbitals launches their Heat 1-X hybrid
rocket with Tycho Brahe module, which was recovered.
The altitude was modest but this was their first successfu
flight.
June 11:
During a free flight of Armadillo's SuperMod vehicle
"Dalek", an abort occured due a mechanical
failure in the fuel plumbing. The parafoil deploys
successfully but the heavy fuel load results in a
hard landing.
June
13: SpaceX and Thaicom announce that a Falcon
9 will launch a Thaicom satellite (to be built by
Orbital Sciences) to geostationary orbit in 2013.
June 14-15:
WhiteKightTwo and SpaceShipTwo carry out drop glide
tests two days in a row for the first time.
..
Jeff Greason of XCOR
gives a keynote address at the ISDC 2011 event in Huntsville,
Alabama.
Highlights:
May
27: The FAA approves ZERO-G parabolic flight services
for qualification and training of the crews of suborbital
launch operators.
May
23: The Orrery group invests in the NewSpace style
startup company Altius Space Machines.
May
20: UP Aerospace successfully launches a SpaceLoft
XL suborbital rocket from Spaceport America with educational
and commercial payloads aboard.
May
19: Space Florida awards a $400,000 contract with
Masten Space Systems to carry out launches with their
Vertical-takeoff, Vertical landing rocket at the Cape
Canaveral
May 13:
NASA releases a report that gives an assessment of
potential non-government markets for the rocket vehicles
supported by NASA's commercial cargo and crew programs.
In an appendix the report says that the total development
cost ($390M) for the SpaceX Falcon 1 and Falcon 9
rockets was ten times less than what the cost model
predicted for a Falcon 9 developed in NASA with the
standard program approach. The reports also said NASA
had verified the SpaceX cost numbers.
May. 5:
Space Adventures announces that it has sold one ticket
for its two person trip around the Moon in a Russian
Soyuz spaceship. In negotiations for the second ticket.
May. 5:
Bigelow Aerospace announces that tests have begun
of the environmental life support system intended
for their orbital habitats. Test subjects will stay
in an enclosed module, starting with short periods
and then gradually increasing to longer and longer
periods.
May.
4: The feather reentry configuration of the SpaceShipTwo
was tested in glide flight for the first time.
NOTAM issued for flight activity to 10k ft at
Van Horn, Texas on May 21. FAA
permitted flight table later showed a flight
had taken place for vehicle PM-2, presumably the
New
Shepard.
Blue Origin flight said to have failed - Sep.02.11
- a description and pictures of this short
successful flight of the PM-2 module were
revealed by Jeff Bezos when the failed flight
on August 24th was reported.
..
A SpaceX
video about the Falcon
Heavy (FH) launch vehicle, the design of
which was unveiled in a news conference by Elon Musk
on April 5th:.
Highlights:
Apr.28: As
the 10 year anniversary of Dennis Tito's flight to
the ISS approached (April 28, 2001), the first genuine
space tourist flight, there were many articles and
reflections on the flight and on the prospects for
space tourism in general.
Apr.19:
NASA announces that four proposals had won grants
in the Commercial Crew Development, Phase 2 competition:
Blue Origin, Boeing, Sierra Nevada, and SpaceX.
..
MDA and Intelsat signed
a contract for refueling of its GEO communication
satellite
with MDA's Space Infrastructur Servicing (SIS)
vehicle, which would be the first operational
orbital fuel depot as well as a space tug and inspection/repair
system.
Highlights:
Mar.21:
XCOR/ULA announce the successful demonstration of
an aluminum alloy rocket nozzle and the start of a
new collaboration on development of a new LOX/LH2
engine.
Mar.14:
TripAlertz
announced that it would offer group purchasing discounts
on tickets for rides on XCOR's Lynx Mk. I vehicle.
In addition, they have a promotional sweepstakes in
which the winner gets a Lynx ticket.
Mar.14:
MDA announced that Intelsat signed a contract to become
the anchor customer for MDA's satellite refueling
and servicing spacecraft.
Mar.14:
The large European satellite operator SES announced
a contract with SpaceX to launch a medium sized communications
satellite in 2013.
Mar.9:
SpaceX announces a major expansion to its test site
facility in Texas.
Mar.5:
The Garvey Spacecraft/Cal State University, Long Beach
rocket collaboration launched the reusable LOX/Ethanol
powered Prospector
18A rocket on a low-altitude test flight from
the FAR
site in Mojave, California.
Feb.28-Mar.2
- A successful Next-Generation Suborbital Research
Conference took place in Orlando, Florida with 355
attendees.
Feb.28:
Virgin Galactic announces that Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI) has deposits on 2 seats and options
on 6 more seats for suborbital research projects.
Feb.24:
XCOR announces that Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
has purchased 6 rides on the Lynx Mk I for suborbital
research projects.
Feb.18:
SpaceX says it will put Falcon 1 development on low
priority and focus on Falcon 9 and Falcon 9 Heavy.
Feb.16:
The Virginia legislature passes a bill that would
transfer to the Virginia spaceport authority the tax
revenue obtained from commercial spaceflight activities
such as when Space Adventures sells tickets for flights
to the ISS.
Feb.10:
The SpaceX Dragon capsule launched and returned from
orbit last December is put on display in Washington
D.C. during the FAA conference.
Feb.9:
FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference attracts
over 400 attendees.
Feb.8:
ATK announces a partnership with Astrium to create
a rocket from a solid rocket booster first stage and
a Ariane 5 second stage to compete in NASA's commercial
crew launch services program.
Feb.6:
Astrobotic Technologies, a competitor in the Google
Lunar X PRIZE, reserves a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher
to send its spacecraft to the Moon.
Feb.5:
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver makes high profile
visits to Bigelow Aerospace to discuss their space
station plans and to
SNC to see Dream Chaser.
Feb.3:
United Space Alliance (USA) announces they are seeking
funding to study feasibility of a commercial space
shuttle service for NASA.
Feb.2:
Bigelow Aerospace and Space Florida sign Memorandum
of Understanding on cooperation.
Feb.2:
The revamp of management of the New Mexico spaceport
by the new governor continued during the month.
Jan. 31:
Bigelow Aerospace and UAE Abu Dhabi announce the signing
of a MOU to use BA orbital stations.
Jan. 23:
The first Armadillo
Aerospace update in several months describes their
Tube Rocket for testing high altitude components and
techniques.
Jan. 17:SpaceX
gave an update on its proposal to NASA's Commercial
Crew Development - Phase 2 program. They released
an animation of their proposed crew escape system
that needs to be developed for a crew capable Dragon
capsule. The system remains with the capsule throughout
the flight and allows for pinpoint powered landings
on a hard pad rather than a splashdown at sea.
Jan.
14: NASA and Bigelow Aerospace hold a workshop
to discuss possible BA modules for the ISS. More details
released
later about the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module
(BEAM), which would provide additional storage space
for the ISS.
Jan. 12:Space
Adventures announced a deal with the Rederal Space
Agency of the Russian Federation (FSA) and Rocket
Space Corporation Energia (RSC Energia) in which they
will expand production of Soyuz vehicles to allow
for one seat for commercial paying passengers beginning
in 2013.
Jan.
11: Masten
Space begins static firing tests of "Brutus"
that will be their first high altitude vehicle.
Jan. 6:Excalibur
Almaz brings two Russian Almaz space station modules
to their Isle of Man facilities.
Jan.
5: The new governor of New Mexico asked for the
resignation of Rick Homans from his job as director
of Spaceport
America. Gov. Susana Martinez also requested an
audit of the project. However, she also emphasized
that she supports the project.
