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Friday’s CSExtra offers a roundup of the latest news reporting on space related events from around the world. NASA is expected to set a new target launch date for shuttle Endeavour on Friday — something later than May 10. In Florida, United Launch Alliance and the U. S. Air Force are prepared to launch a new missile warning satellite. Space Adventures offers a trip around the moon as a new destination for wealthy space tourists. Commercial space activities in Florida will bring a modest number of new FAA jobs. The Pentagon injects competition into its launch market to control costs. A look at the future of NASA’s astronaut corps at the 50 year mark since the first U. S. human spaceflight. A fresh look at the Drake equation and what it says about intelligent extra terrestrial life. The March death of a veteran space worker at the Kennedy Space Center is ruled a suicide.
1. From Florida Today: NASA Shuttle and International Space Station program managers meet Friday to establish a new target launch date for Endeavour’s final mission. The two week trip to the space station with the $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer was scrubbed on April 29 by a failed hydraulic system heater. Most recently, NASA aimed for a second launch attempt on May 10. But more troubleshooting and repair work will be necessary and a new target date is anticipated.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110506/NEWS02/105060314/Endeavour-launch-date-set-today?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
2. From Space.com: At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., United Launch Alliance and the U. S. Air Force prepare to launch an Atlas 5 with a the first in a new generation of missile warning satellite. Lift off is set for 2:14 p.m., EDT.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/11585-sbirs-geo1-missile-defense-satellite.html
3. From MSNBC.com: Space Adventures Ltd., the Virginia company that pioneered space tourism in the United States, looks to a new destinations for its customers, a loop around the moon. The Russians will furnish the transportation. The cost – $100 million to $150 million.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/05/6591354-round-the-moon-mission-boosted
4. From the Orlando Sentinel: The Federal Aviation Administration plans to add 50 new jobs to support commercial space transportation activities at the Kennedy Space Center in the next two years.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-faa-center-at-ksc-20110505,0,2094848.story
5. From Business Week: At the Urging of Congress, the Pentagon introduces new competition into the military satellite launch industry.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_20/b4228033785287.htm
6. From USA Today: Thursday, marked the 50th anniversary of the first U. S. human space flight. Today, most NASA astronauts train hard in Russia rather than the United States, as NASA’s space shuttle program winds down. As it retires the space shuttle this summer, NASA plans to rely on Russia for the transportation of the nation’s astronauts to the International Space Station — until commercial space transportation services are available.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-05-05-astronaut-corps-evolves_n.htm
7. From Discovery.com: The website takes a fresh look at the Drake Equation, a half-century old estimate of the number of potential extraterrestrial civilizations with communications skills. For the Milky Way, the estimate is less than one might think. Astronomer Frank Drake devised the equation.
http://news.discovery.com/space/how-many-aliens-drake-equation-110505.html
8. From Florida Today: On March 14, a 53 year-old NASA contract worker fell to his death from the shuttle launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. The Brevard County medical examiner has ruled the death a suicide.
http://space.flatoday.net/2011/05/ksc-launch-pad-fall-case-closed.html
Brought to you by the Coalition for Space Exploration, CSExtra is a daily compilation of space industry news selected from hundreds of online media resources. The Coalition is not the author or reporter of any of the stories appearing in CSExtra and does not control and is not responsible for the content of any of these stories. The content available through CSExtra contains links to other websites and domains which are wholly independent of the Coalition, and the Coalition makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information contained in any such site or domain and does not pre-screen or approve any content. The Coalition does not endorse or receive any type of compensation from the included media outlets and is not responsible or liable in any way for any content of CSExtra or for any loss, damage or injury incurred as a result of any content appearing in CSExtra. For information on the Coalition, visit www.space.com or contact us via e-mail at Info@space.com.