CSExtra – Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Nov 23, 2010 | Blog, Coalition News, CSExtra

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Tuesday’s CSExtra offers reporting  and commentary on space activities from around the world: SpaceX achieves a milestone as the California company receives the first FAA license for a spacecraft re-entry. NASA may have difficulties finding timely replacements for the venerable Delta 2 rocket. The secret USAF X-37B may be near the end of its first orbital mission. Reflections on the inspiration of space exploration, past and future.
 
 1. From the Los Angeles Times:  SpaceX receives the first FAA commercial spacecraft re-entry license. The license provides for a test flight and of the Falcon 9 rocket and re-entry of the Dragon capsule. The launching from Cape Canaveral, Fla., is planned for no earlier than Dec. 7, The Dragon is a prototype for a commercial cargo and eventually a crew transport. NASA intends to be a customer for missions to the International Space Station.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/11/spacex-faa-rocket-spacecraft.html
A. From Florida Today:  Masden Space Systems of Mojave, Calif., announces plans to conduct a suborbital demonstration flight of a new reusable launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Fla.   Other companies may follow suit, bringing a new line of business to Central Florida.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101123/NEWS02/11230315/Company+plans+flight+from+cape

2.  From Spaceflightnow.com: NASA faces a challenge as the Delta 2 medium class launch vehicle long used for space as well as Earth science missions phases out, according to the General Accountability Office. The concerns include rising launch costs and schedule delays as replacement launchers are selected.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1011/23mediumgao/

3. From Space.com: The secretive U.S. Air Force X-37 B, launched in April, may be reaching the end of its mission and ready to make an autonomous re-entry and landing, some experts believe. The military is saying little, other than that the 30-foot-long winged spacecraft is still performing its mission.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/news/secret-military-space-plane-nears-mission-end-101122.html

4. From the Washington Post:  Amateur astronomer Gus Johnson witnessed what astronomers now believe was the birth of a black hole in 1979.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112204869.html

5. From the New York Times: Columnist Bob Herbert recalls the inspiration of John Kennedy a half-century ago. Kennedy became the president who set the United States on a course to the moon, while challenging the nation to pursue the rest of his New Frontier agenda.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/opinion/23herbert.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1290510046-7k5vhMzQF1kdUEGRNpg+tA

6. From The Space Review, two reflections on future of human space exploration.

A. “In human spaceflight worth the cost,”  former Planetary Society executive director Lou Friedman urges space enthusiasts to find a tactical underpinning for future human space exploration. He worries that in the current economic/political climate politicians will convince the public that exploration is best left to robots. Friedman finds enthusiasts currently too concerned with which destination, or which rocket represents the best approach for the next advance.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1730/1

B. “In where first for space resources,” TSR editor Jeff Foust characterizes the debate over whether the moon, or near-Earth objects represent the most worthy next destination for human explorers  — if the objective is to exploit resources. Recent missions reveal the moon and asteroids harbor water, which could be used for life support as well as rocket fuel to sustain human bases, support missions to more distant destinations or for the servicing of satellites in Earth orbit.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1729/1

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.