Recent News
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21 April 1998:
Is a new surge in space commercialization proposals ahead?
We have learned that SpaceHab has had a series of serious negotiations with Russia regarding the possible reboost - and subsequent commercial use of Mir. Meanwhile, It seems that USA is very serious about putting a commercial proposal in front of NASA whereby they'd fully privatize the operation of an orbiter (Columbia). SpaceHab has reportedly been approached by USA as part of this proposal. Stay tuned.
16 March 1998: NASA solicits information for in-house study for a new
Shuttle Upper Stage.
"Interests are upper stage concepts, and information
concerning configuration, major components, marketing, strategies,
production, schedule, and cost."
Editor's note: Why is NASA sending this out? If this upper stage is to be used for commercial purposes then why isn't USA or some other venture doing this with private funds? If this stage is to be used for lunar or planetary exploration - where is the approved, Shuttle-based program which would require such a capability?
12 March 1998: Rep. Weldon prasies Senate Commerce Committee for acting on space policy bills. Commerce Committee sends NASA Authorization, Commercial Space Act to floor, press release
11 March 1998:
National Space Society delivers 3,000 pro-Commercial Space Act letters to Senate. Grassroots Deliveries Begin with Visit to Senator Bob Graham of Florida, NSS press release
11 February 1998: Commercial space race seen heating up this year, Reuters, Yahoo
10 February 1998: From Rockets to Research? NASA Administrator's Vision for Agency Could Boost Area Technology Firms, Washington Post
"Facing a steadily tightening squeeze on NASA's budget, Goldin wants the agency to convert itself primarily into a center of advanced, long-range research that would have powerful commercial spinoff value."
Note: Yet Dan seems utterly incapable of getting any sort of commercialization plan in place. He has been stalling in getting a copy of Congress for months now. Just ask Rep. Rohrabacher.
3 February 1998:
Teal Model Counts 2,035 Space Payloads, 200 Customers Through
2007, press release, Yahoo
15 December 1997: Potential Commercialization of the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) Located at MSFC, Commerce Business Daily Notice online at the MSFC Technology Transfer website.
Even though George Abbey and the JSC crowd tried to kill the NBS, the creative folks at MSFC have found a way to try and reactivate and commercialize this historic facility - which is also a registered National Historic Landmark. A briefing concerning this potential commercialization opportunity will be held at MSFC on Thursday, January 22, 1998. Well done!
10 December 1997: Representative Weldon welcomes Senator Graham's commercial space efforts, press release
10 December 1997: NASA selects Phase II Small Business Projects, NASA Press release
2 December 1997:
Orbital to Create Leading Satellite Access Products Company, press release, Yahoo
20 November 1997: New world satellite pact promotes competition, Wired/Reuters, Yahoo
6 November 1997: National Space Society Urges Senate to Support Tomorrow's Introduction of Space Commercialization Bill, press release
6 November 1997: NSS Space Capsule: The Commercial Space Act for 1997 (H.R. 1702) was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives late last night
More info on H.R. 1702
24 October 1997: New space for ad banners -- the moon, Wired/Reuters, Yahoo
22 October 1997: SpaceDev, LLC Acquires Controlling Interest In Pegasus
Development Group, Inc., Press Release, Yahoo
13 October 1997: SpaceVest Signs Memorandum of Understanding With NASA: Agreement Designed to Advance Space Commercialization, Press Release, Yahoo
11 September 1997:
NASA, DOD And FAA sign joint agreement on spaceports launch guidance, NASA press release
The NASA Administrator, the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition and Technology (DOD) and the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Administrator have signed a joint Memorandum
of Agreement (MOA) that provides guidance for federal interaction
with commercial launch site operators on spaceports.
9 September 1997: Private Firm Plans Deep Space Shot, AP, Washington Post
9 September 1997: SpaceDev corporation wants to send its NEAP - Near Earth Asteroid Prospector to survey an asteroid, sell the sicentific data, and retain mineral exploitation rights to whatever discoveries they make. Check out their websiteas well as our Space Development and Space Commercialization pages for more information on this topic.
9 September 1997: SpaceDev to Launch First Private Spacecraft and Land on Asteroid, press release, Yahoo
9 September 1997: Private firm plans to prospect on asteroid, Wired/Reuters, Yahoo
21 August 1997:United Space Alliance, SpaceTec Join to Market Commercial Payload
Opportunities on the U.S. Space Shuttle, Press release, Yahoo
4 August 1997: SPACEHAB Awards Two Contracts for New Cargo Carrier for the International Space Station - Integrated Cargo Carrier to be First Commercial Component of ISS, press release, Yahoo
14 July 1997: Orbital Sciences Corp. Inks Pack to Acquire Units of CTA Inc., Yahoo
14 July 1997: Orbital's CEO sees satellite growth, Reuters, Yahoo
14 July 1997:Orbital to Purchase CTA's Space Systems Business; Merger to
Create Major Global LEO and GEO Satellite Supplier, press release, Yahoo
4 July 1997:Lockheed, Northrop to merge in $11.6 billion deal, Reuters, Yahoo
3 July 1997:Boeing monitoring Lockheed merger, Reuters, Yahoo
So that leaves just Boeing-McDac-Rockwell and Lockheed-Martin-Northrop-Grumman-General Dynamics-Loral to compete against each other while, at the same time, they share USA where they are supposed to cooperate with each other. Why do we have trouble thinking that this going to work - or that it is actually good for our space program?
Sure, the DoD spending spree is now over, but having only two monolithic aerospace monsters doesn't seem to be in harmony with the smaller-better-cheaper-faster approach NASA claims to be heading toward, does it?
2 July 1997:Letters Needed to Urge Early Senate Introduction of Commercial Space Act - Help Needed Before July 28!, National Space Society
WRITE.
24 June 1997: ProSpace Legislative ACTION Alert - Commercial Space Bill goes to House floor Co-Sponsors needed for upcoming Vote
16 June 1997: United Space Alliance and SPACEHAB, Inc. Announce Agreement to Promote Commercial Space Ventures, Press release, Yahoo
23 May 1997: Regulating business in space is aim of bill, By Larry Wheeler, Florida Today
23 May 1997: H.R. 1702, Commercial Space Act of 1997 As Introduced Section-by-Section Analysis, House Science Committee
22 May 1997: H.R.1702 Sponsor: Rep Sensenbrenner, "A bill to encourage the development of a commercial space industry in the United States, and for other purposes. ", online at Thomas
22 May 1997: Extension of Remarks by: Rep. Sensenbrenner on H.R. 1702, The Commercial Space Act of 1997, House Science Committee
14 May 1997: The Potomac Institute's International Space Station Commercialization Study (ISSC) is available on-line in PDF format at the Space Frontier Foundation's website.
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