International: Web Articles
Next100 - A Dialogue on the Next Century of Energy
"When President Obama visits India in a couple of weeks to help cement the two countries’ strategic and economic relationship, he should make room on the agenda for a visionary plan to create a joint space-based solar energy program. That’s the provocative recommendation of a recent report drafted by a U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and published by the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, a think tank based in New Delhi and funded by India’s defense ministry." There is also significant NASA-related interest in this topic as seen by the agenda (Session #6) for the October 29-31, 2010 Space Studies Institute conference at NASA Ames Research Center. International interest in the space community is growing and discussions that may lead to effective collaborations are already underway.
Orbital Technologies and RSC Energia to Launch World's First Commercial Space Station - Orbital Technologies
"Private Russian company and lead contractor for the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation collaborate to commercialize space." This facility appears to be on a path to compete with the Bigelow Space Station concept, but apparently on a smaller scale. The competition heats up.
SpaceX + Astrium: Falcon Finds European Possibilities (Launch Services) : Satnews Publishers
"Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Astrium have engaged in a commercial agreement to provide dedicated launch services to the European institutional small satellite market. Astrium intends to work with SpaceX to market Falcon 1 launch capabilities to various space agencies and other institutional customers in Europe for launches to take place through 2015.(SatNewsPublisher)"
High-Tech Space Planes Taking Shape in Italy, Russia | Space.com
The U.S. Air Force's secretive X-37B space plane may eventually get some company in low-Earth orbit as other countries such as Italy and Russia push forward with plans for their own reusable winged spaceships.
Italy's prototype space plane, named Pollux, successfully carried out high-speed maneuvers that slowed it down from a falling speed of Mach 1.2 during a test flight in April. More recently, Russia has begun considering whether to revive a Cold War era, air-launched mini-shuttle in response to the U.S. X-37B space plane debut.
Private space stations edge closer to reality - Space.com/msnbc.com
"With two prototype modules for a commercial space station already circling the Earth, Bigelow Aerospace is gearing up for a full-scale assault on space.
For the upstart firm, it's about volume — and not entirely in the sense of quantity or number of items sold. The company's expandable module designs are designed to offer low-cost commercial volume in space — for rent or lease — not only to private-sector interests, but also to national space agencies."
This is a recent update on Robert Bigelow's strategy for commercial space habitat applications. It confirms earlier speculations about his development of human life support systems and living accommodations. Jobs for a couple of ex-astronauts are open.
European space company wants solar power plant in space | PhysOrg.Com
"EADS Astrium, Europe's biggest space company, plans to put a solar power satellite in orbit to demonstrate the collection of solar power in space and its transmission via infrared laser to provide electricity on Earth."
"The transmission of power via infrared laser has been tested in Astrium’s laboratories, and they are now concentrating on improving the system’s efficiency. Work on developing converters...[for] received infrared energy to electricity is proceeding rapidly, and Astrium is collaborating in this work with scientists at the University of Surrey, in the UK. The company is hoping to achieve 80% efficiency in the conversion."
Department of Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke's "States of Entrepreneurism" Address
"The United States has not adjusted to a new global marketplace where foreign countries and foreign companies have the ability to outpace their American counterparts. It’s not tenable for...[us] to continue with the status quo. In a world where innovation is critical to U.S. competitiveness, we must do everything in our power to optimize commercialization that stems from our nation’s vast research investments. This is an issue where the Commerce Department is working hard to find solutions.
Last fall, we launched the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, whose mandate is to drive policies and programs that help entrepreneurs translate new ideas, products, and services into economic growth, and to accelerate technology commercialization of federal R&D.
And today, I want to announce that on February 24 [2010], this Office will host a forum with university leaders and key stakeholders on the roles of universities in innovation, economic development, job creation, and commercialization of federally funded research."
Locke's analysis is dead on and includes references to NASA, aerospace and public-private collaboration in commercialization. The emerging suborbital space vehicle industry is a classic example of what he and the Obama administration are strongly promoting and they surely support STEM education as a critical lifeline essential to feed such entrepreneurial innovations.
The End of Magical Climate Thinking | Foreign Policy
"The Obama administration succumbed, like many others, to a sort of magical climate thinking that promised a painless and even prosperous transition to a low-carbon future with the tools already at hand. The only official within his administration to accurately grasp the technology challenges faced, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, was sidelined at crucial moments. Here is the back story of how the Obama administration dramatically raised and then dashed America's -- and the world's -- hopes that 2009 would be a pivotal year for remaking our collective energy future." This article places blame on both government and green energy advocates for "magical thinking" about what will surely at minimum be a tough, expensive, decades-long slog. The importance of space infrastructure advancements, especially by the private sector, to developing innovative lower-cost solar power and biospheric and climate monitoring systems will be major. Earth and its environment are increasingly understood as one evolving macro-ecosystem traveling through space over eons.
Obama Space Policy To Emphasize International Cooperation | SpaceNews.com
"Space News reports that the White House is expected to complete by mid-December "a sweeping review of US national space policy" led by Peter Marquez, director of space policy for the White House National Security Council. It "is addressing a range of topics, including space protection, cooperation, acquisition reform, US export controls and national space strategy." Dick Buenneke, deputy director of space policy at the State Department, said that a "key element of the review involves ways to protect critical government and commercial space infrastructure against orbital debris." After the review, sources say that "the Obama administration's forthcoming policy...will emphasize international cooperation and a consultative approach with allies in addressing space access and other strategic concerns." Thanks to AIAA "Daily Launch" for summary.
Space hotel competes with Bigelow in 2012? | Yahoo! News
"A company that plans to open the first hotel in space says it is on target to accept its first paying guests in 2012 despite critics questioning the investment and time frame for the multi-billion dollar project.
The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island."