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This is not a NASA Website. You might learn something. It's YOUR space agency. Get involved. Take it back. Make it work - for YOU.
nasawatch@spaceref.com | Voice +1.703.787.6567 | RSS Feed | Twitter | Advertising | Important Disclaimer
US Patent and Trademark Office: SpaceX V Blue Origin
"Space Exploration Technologies Corp. ("SpaceX") filed a Petition ("Pet.") for inter partes review of U.S. Patent No. 8,678,321 B2 ("the '321 patent"). The Petition challenges the patentability of claims 14 and 15 of the '321 patent on the ground of obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103.1 Blue Origin LLC, the owner of the '321 patent, did not file a Preliminary Response to the Petition."
"IV. CONCLUSION Because the challenged claims are not amenable to construction, we are unable to reach a determination on the reasonable likelihood of SpaceX prevailing on the prior art ground asserted in the Petition.
V. ORDER For the foregoing reasons, it is ORDERED that the Petition is denied."
Categories: Commercialization
Statement by NASA Administrator at House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing (with video)
"Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to have this opportunity to discuss NASA's FY 2016 budget request. The President is proposing an FY 2016 budget of $18.5 billion for NASA, building on the significant investments the Administration has made in America's space program over the past six years, enabled through the strong and consistent support by this Committee and the Congress."
Categories: Budget, Congress | |
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Keith's note: I was watching this hearing on NASA TV. About halfway through the video froze while the audio continued. As such it was often hard to tell who was speaking. After correcting my earlier tweet, I posted some additional comments on Twitter that ended up with a member of Congress responding. See below for that conversation.
Continue reading: Bolden Budget Quotes From Today's Budget Hearing (Update). Reader note: "FYI I tried to reach CASIS by phone. When you call their CASIS Corporate Headquarters listed here i.e. 321.253.5101 and hit 3 for "Contracts" you get a dead end. Your call is eventually disconnected.
Professor Emeritus Curt Michel Dies
"F. Curtis (Curt) Michel, the Andrew Hays Buchanan Professor Emeritus of Space Physics and Astronomy, died Feb. 23 at the age of 80. Although he retired in 2000 after 37 years at Rice, Michel continued to keep an office on campus, where he pursued his studies of solar winds, radio pulsars and numerical methods. He was part of the fourth class of astronauts chosen by NASA in 1965 as the agency ramped up the Apollo moon program. He was one of six scientist-astronauts in the class, the first on a roster that until that point had been largely limited to test pilots."
Curt Michel, Wikipedia
Categories: Astronauts, Personnel News
Celebrate the Centennial of NASA's Predecessor: The NACA
"Today marks a special anniversary for the NASA family. It was 100 years ago, on March 3, 1915, when Congress created the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the organization from which NASA was created in 1958. The NACA was formed because our nation's leaders were concerned the U.S. was losing its edge in aviation technology to Europe, where World War 1 was raging on. Its mission, in part, was to "supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical solution." As you all know, we not only regained that edge, but we became the world leaders in civil aviation."
Categories: Aeronautics, History
ULA ready to compete against Elon Musk's space startup, CEO says, Washington Post
"Still, [ULA Chief Executive Tory Bruno] also said that ULA is far more reliable in launching on schedule than SpaceX. When asked if he thought it was risky to rely on SpaceX he said, "I do." "We have a perfect mission success record and our schedule certainty is also substantial," he said. "Launching on time is huge." SpaceX took exception to Bruno's comments. "The Air Force and the taxpayers deserve more from ULA and its latest CEO, whose remarks are purposely misleading, but not unexpected," SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in a statement. "In anticipation of having to face real competition for the first time, ULA is distorting the facts in an effort to hide its own shortcomings. This is merely the latest example that ULA is realizing that its long-held monopoly is coming to an end."
Keith's note: Then there's this gem: "Bruno said that since ULA's inception, the company "has cut the price of launch in half, and I'm going to cut it in half again." While he declined to provide specific numbers, he vowed to "be competitive with SpaceX's prices."
Hmmm ... with reusable stages SpaceX may do this too - making their cost even harder to beat. At some point Bruno will not be able to turn a profit if he's focused only on cutting prices to chase SpaceX down this path.
Marc's note: Looking at the commercial launch market the last four years, ULA has had 2 launches, both last year for WorldView 3 and NASA's EFT-1. SpaceX on the other hand has had 11 launches and this is before the coming increase in cadence. (All data from the FAA)
Seriously awesome! RT @OmanReagan: astronaut @AstroSamantha retouched by @MikeOkuda. http://t.co/ns6BxZ7uVG pic.twitter.com/NzqYaTjfTP
— Sam Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) March 2, 2015 Keith's update: Wow. Mike and I got retweeted from orbit. How cool.
Keith's note: In space Samantha Cristoforetti honors Leonard Nimoy/Spock by continuing the Vulcan science officer tradition on ISS. Altered imagery by Michael Okuda.
Years ago, when John Grunsfeld left NASA headquarters, Mike Okuda made a "vulcanized" version of John. Everyone loved it - including (so it would seem) the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum. For a number for years, there was a copy of this faux picture adjacent to Hubble instruments on display that John had helped to bring back to Earth. It took quite some time for the Smithsonian to notice the details in the photos. Oops.
Categories: Culture, ISS News
NASA Administrator Lauds Senator Mikulski for Championing America's Space Program
"Senator Mikulski has been a tireless champion for NASA, and has helped pave the way for future exploration and our journey to Mars."
Mikulski Announces 5th Term Will Be Her Last, Will Focus on Working for Her Constituents
"Today at Henderson's Wharf Inn in Fells Point, U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) announced she has decided not to run for re-election. Senator Mikulski, who will complete her 5th term in office in January, 2017, says she wants to focus for the next two years on working for her constituents and for the nation."
Categories: Congress
Very saddened by loss of a dear friend & NASA hero, Norm Carlson. THE NASA Test Director #SpaceShuttle #BeansAreGo pic.twitter.com/UTUfzPAxQy
— Nicole Stott (@Astro_Nicole) March 2, 2015
SpaceX Launches Dual Payload to GTO [With Video], SpaceRef Business
"A SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the ABS 3A and EUTELSAT 115 West B satellites towards a supersynchronous transfer orbit. The launch took place on time when the launch window opened at 10:50 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 1, 2015, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida."
Marc's note: With this launch SpaceX has completed three launches so far this year. They completed six last year. By mid-year they should have equalled last years total and probably surpassed it based on the current schedule. Their launch cadence is clearly picking up as you would expect with a rocket and company that is maturing.
Categories: Commercialization
Astronauts Complete Third International Space Station Spacewalk in Eight Days [With Video]
"Outside the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA conducted their third spacewalk in eight days March 1 to install antennas and communications gear that will be used to provide rendezvous and navigational information to visiting vehicles approaching the complex in the future, including the new U.S. commercial crew vehicles."
Categories: ISS News
Astronaut Salutes Leonard Nimoy From Orbit
"International Space Station astronaut Terry Virts (@AstroTerry) tweeted this image of a Vulcan hand salute from orbit as a tribute to actor Leonard Nimoy, who died on Friday, Feb. 27, 2015."
Statement by NASA Admimistrator Bolden on the Passing of Leonard Nimoy
"Leonard Nimoy was an inspiration to multiple generations of engineers, scientists, astronauts, and other space explorers. As Mr. Spock, he made science and technology important to the story, while never failing to show, by example, that it is the people around us who matter most. NASA was fortunate to have him as a friend and a colleague."
Statement by the President on the Passing of Leonard Nimoy
"I loved Spock. In 2007, I had the chance to meet Leonard in person. It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for "Live long and prosper." And after 83 years on this planet - and on his visits to many others - it's clear Leonard Nimoy did just that."
@KeithCowing True story... RIP, Mr Spock.
— Scott Parazynski (@AstroDocScott) February 27, 2015 | |
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NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 3 March 2015
As a pair of astronauts cleans up their spacesuits after completing a set of spacewalks, more nanosatellites were deployed from Japan's Kibo lab module. The International Space Station also raised its orbit Tuesday morning to set the stage for the upcoming crew departure.