Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 1 of 16

Quote of the Month

“Those who focus upon the earth, its

environment and its people have worthy

missions, but they must not hold back this

bold destiny for humankind has before it not

only the earth but also the stars.”

Stephen T. Swift

President, Oklahoma Space Alliance

Dancing Among the Stars © 2012

Table of Contents

Quote of the Month .......................................................................................................... .......................... 1

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... .................... 2

NASA Extends Commercial Crew .................................................................................................................. 3

Three Hundred Chinese Book Tickets .......................................................................................... ................. 4

SpaceX Caused Shake-up Reaches Europe .................................................................................................... 5

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 2 of 16

Agricultural Burning in Angola .............................................................................................. ....................... 6

National Research Council Report Falls Short ................................................................................ ............... 7

Space News ..................................................................................................... ............................................ 8

ULA Signs for New Engine Concepts .................................................................................................................. 8

Fly Around the Moon in a Modified Soyuz .........................................................................................................

8

June 14, Soyuz Orbits Glonass Navigation Satellite ........................................................................................... 8

Two European Compaines Join Forces to Stay Competitive with SpaceX ......................................................... 9

SES Presses EU for Lower Launch Costs ............................................................................................................. 9

See Through Falcon 9R Onboard Cam ................................................................................................................

9

Senator Nelson (D-FL) Applied Brakes to Commercial Crew Stranglehold ........................................................ 9

Dnepr Rocket Launches 33 Satellites ............................................................................................................... 10

ULA Seeks New Engine ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Soyuz 2 Orbits Navagation Satellite ................................................................................................................. 10

India Launches French Satellite ........................................................................................................................

11

Mars One Seeks Payloads for Mars 2018 Lander ............................................................................................. 11

XCOR Acquires Space Expedition Corp .............................................................................................................

11

NASA Launches Satellite with Delta II .............................................................................................................. 11

We Still Lose Some—Launch Failure ................................................................................................................ 12

ULA Delta II Launches Once More ................................................................................................................... 12

Former Russian ICBM Lofts Satellites .............................................................................................................. 12

Russia Launches Scotland Satellite .................................................................................................................. 12

Arianespace Launches 4 O3b Satellites ............................................................................................................ 13

Successful Angara Rocket Test ......................................................................................................................... 13

Antares Lofts Resupply to ISS ........................................................................................................................... 13

SpaceX Launches 6 Commercial Satellites ....................................................................................................... 14

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 3 of 16

NASA Extends

Commercial Crew NASA extends Commercial Crew completion dates by 7

months for SpaceX Dragon and Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser. The extended schedule gives SpaceX and Sierra Nevada until March 2015 to complete the current commercial crew agreement milestones. Boeing expects to complete its milestone for the CST-

100 spacecraft by August 2014. The milestones are

not sufficient for understanding of progress. Each

company proposed its own milestones. Although

SpaceX appears closest to launching its spacecraft, the

SpaceX milestones are the most advanced and require

more time to complete. See articles at 1) NASA

Extends SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Commercial Crew

Agreements By 7 Months at Parabolic Arc, 2) A Look at

Remaining Milestones for NASA’s Commercial Crew

Partners at Parabolic Arc.

Oklahoma Space Alliance

What’s Happening

March 2014 Copyright © 2014 Oklahoma Space

Alliance Editor Stephen Swift

sswift42@aol.com 405-496-3616

The Oklahoma Space Alliance What’s Happening is a presentation in each monthly meeting of the Oklahoma Space Alliance. Oklahoma Space Alliance is a chapter of the National Space Society, a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The address of OSA is 102 W. Linn, #1, Norman, OK 73071. Unless otherwise noted, all contents of articles herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of anyone but the editor or the originating source. Reprint rights are granted to chapters of NSS and to any non-profit organization for education or information purposes only provided credit is given.

.OSA 2014 http://chapters.nss.org/ok/osanss.html

President Stephen Swift Update Editor sswift42@aol.com

405-496-3616 Vice President David Sheely

sheely@sbcglobal.net 405-821-9077

Secretary & Syd Henderson Outreach Editor

sydh@ou.edu 405-321-4027(H) 405-365-8983(C)

Treasurer Tim Scott

ctsscott@mac.com 405-740-7549(H)

NSS Chapters Claire McMurray

cliffclaire@hotmail.com 405-329-4326(H) 405-863-

9173(C)

NSS Headquarters 15th Street NW, Suite 500

Washington DC 20005 Exec Director TBD

nsshq@nss.org 202-429-1600

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 4 of 16

CST-100, Dreamchaser, Dragon

Image Credit: SpaceNews

See article at Commercial Crew Partners Get Extension | SpaceNews.com

Three Hundred Chinese Book Tickets Dutch firm Space Expedition Corp (SXC) has sold 300 tickets for suborbital flights in

a two person spacecraft. Last year XCOR signed SXC as general agent for space

tourism flights. Assuming the XCOR Lynx spacecraft is the vehicle for the SXC

flights, XCOR now has a backlog of about 500 flights. Note that XCOR’s recent

financing of $14.2 million included significant investment from SXC, and that, as a

result, SXC hast two individuals on XCOR’s Board

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 5 of 16

Artist Concept of Lynx Spacecraft Credit: XCOR

See the following articles:

Space Travel: Wealthy Chinese buy space flight tickets: report

XCOR Press Release: XCOR Aerospace Announces Space Expedition Corporation

(SXC) As General Sales Agent for Space Tourism Flights

Space News: XCOR Raises $14 Million in Equity Deal with Dutch Partner |

SpaceNews.com

SpaceX Caused Shake-up Reaches Europe Stephen Israel, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, speaking at CommunicaAsia

trade show in Singpore stated, “We will not give up.” He further said that a recent

joint venture between Arianespace’s two biggest shareholders, also the

manufacturers of the Ariane launchers, will produce rocket launchers to compete

with SpaceX. See Space Travel article at European satellite chief says industry faces

challenges.

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 6 of 16

Ariane V on Launch Pad at ESA’s Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, Credit: Arianespace

Agricultural Burning in Angola NASA’s Aqua Satellite placed multiple red pixels where heat signatures occur. See

article at Fires in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo - SpaceRef.

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 7 of 16

Image credit: NASA

National Research Council Report Falls Short The overdue NRC report on human spaceflight fails to consider commercial space

achievements as important. The report places a strong emphasis on SLS as the

future and ignores the potential value of Low Earth Orbit. The report ignores The

International Space Station, space tourism, spacecraft reusability, achievements of

SpaceX and the potential of Virgin Galactic and XCOR as irrelevant to future human

space flight. The report dismissed commercial spaceflight as “speculative”. It only

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 8 of 16

mentioned future space settlement as an “aspirational” rationale. NRC is the

operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and is largely funded by the US

Federal Government.

Development of the Space Launch System (SLS), deemed an essential element of any

space exploration pathway by the NRC’s Committee on Human Spaceflight, could

force tough decisions about other programs, like the ISS, if NASA’s budget does not

increase. (Credit: NASA)

Oklahoma Space Alliance A Chapter of The

National Space Society

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 9 of 16

Space News ULA Signs for New Engine Concepts

United Launch Alliance signs contracts with

several companies to develop concepts for an

American built rocket engine to replace the

Russian RD-180 engines currently used on the

Atlas V Booster. See Article at

Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | ULA

begins search for new American rocket

Soyuz

See article at Spaceflight Now | Breaking News

| Russia eyes Soyuz upgrades for mission

around the moon

Photo of the Moon from ISS – Credit: NASA

Screen Shot Credit: Brandon-Cramer/YouTuube

June 14, Soyuz Orbits Glonass

Navigation Satellite

See article at Glonass navigation satellite launched by Soyuz rocket - WorldNews

See Launch at Launch of Soyuz-2.1b rocket from Plesetsk carrying a Russian

Glonass-M navsat - YouTube

May 22 Atlas V Launch Credit: ULA engine

Fly Around the Moon in a Modified

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 10 of 16

Two European Companies Join Forces

to Stay Competitive with SpaceX

Airbus Group and Saran (partners in the Ariane

launchers) form a 50-50 venture to accelerate

development of new launchers and “stay

competitive. See Article at ESA Aerospace

Teams Take on SpaceX - NASA Watch

Ariane V Launch Credit: ESA

Return to above ‘Shake Up’ link.

SES Presses EU for Lower Launch Costs

Satellite Fleet Operator

Heavyweight SES Leans on Europe To Meet

SES

SpaceX Launch Prices | SpaceNews.com

See Through Falcon 9R Onboard Cam

See Falcon 9R 1000m test flight from onboard

cam.

Video credit NewSpaceDaily / YouTube /

SpaceX: F9R 1000m Fin Flight | Onboard

Cam and Wide Shot - YouTube

Screenshot Credit: SpaceX Video

Senator Nelson (D-FL) Applied Brakes to Commercial Crew

Stranglehold

Does this offer a ray of hope, or will additional

information light up real motives.

See Article Nelson Wants To Revisit Senate

Appropriations Committee’s Stricter

Commercial Crew

Oversight |

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 11 of 16

SpaceNews.com.

See Senator Shelby’s latest comments

Shelby reiterates his support for

commercial crew pricing language as

Nelson seeks changes to it « Space Politics.

Screenshot Credit: Kowch737 /YouTube

Dnepr Rocket Launches 33 Satellites

Russia launched its first private remote

sensing satellite and 32 microsatellites. See

article at Astronomy and Space News -

Astro Watch: ‘Satan’ Rocket Blasts into

Orbit with 33-Satellite Load, Including First

Russian Private Satellite. See video at

Dnepr Delivers Satellites - YouTube.

ULA Seeks New Engine

With all the concern about Atlas V use of

Russian engines, ULA contracted for new

engine feasibility study. See article at ULA

Signs Multiple Contracts for Next-Gen

Propulsion Work.

Photo of Atlas V RD-180 at Marshal Space Flight

Center Credit: NASA / Wikipedia

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 12 of 16

Soyuz 2 Orbits Navigation Satellite See

article at Soyuz Rocket puts Russian

GLONASS-M navigation satellite into orbit.

See video at Soyuz-2 Rocket - YouTube. Screenshot from above video Credit Roscosmos /

YouTube

India Launches French Satellite

See article atIndia’s PSLV successfully lofts

SPOT 7 and companions |

NASASpaceFlight.com

See details about PSLV Rocket at Indian Space

Research Organization - Wikipedia, the free

encyclopedia

See launch video at [PSLV] Launch of Indian

PSLV Rocket with French SPOT-7 Satellite

(C23) - YouTube Screenshot image credit: SpaceVids / YouTube

Mars One Seeks Payloads for Mars

2018 Lander

See article at Mars One Solicits Payloads for

2018 Lander at Parabolic Arc

Lander image credit: Mars One

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 13 of 16

XCOR Acquires Space Expedition Corp

See article at XCOR acquires one of its

investors’ subsidiaries (updated) «

NewSpace Journal

Lynx image credit: XCOR

NASA Launches Satellite with Delta II NASA launched satellite to monitor

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

See article and video at NASA Launches

New Carbon-Sensing Mission to Monitor

Earth's Breathing - SpaceRef Screenshot image credit: NASA / SpaceREF

We Still Lose Some—Launch Failure

NASA sounding rocket fails. See article at

Sounding Rocket Flight Ends Prematurely |

NASA

See video credit NASA/Matthew

Travis/YouTube Launch Failure Of SubTec-6

On Terrier-Improved Malemute Sounding

Rocket - YouTube Screenshot NASA Video

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 14 of 16

ULA Delta II Launches Once More

Semiretired Delta II used for NASA Satellite

mission. See article at

http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-

successfully-launches-oco2-for-nasa.aspx

Launch Video Credit NASA: Launch of

ULAlaunch Delta-II rocket with OCO-2 from

Screenshot Credit: NASA Video Vandenberg AFB - YouTube

Former Russian ICBM Lofts Satellites

Screen Shot Credit: Lee Brandon Cremer /

YouTube

Russian Rokot used to launch 3

comsats.

See launch video Launch of

launch three

Gonetz-M comsats on a Rokot a former

ICBM from Plesetsk - YouTube Screenshot from above video

Russia Launches Scotland Satellite Soyuz 2 launches Scotland’s first satellite

from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

See article at Soyuz 2-1B lofts Meteor M2

and Scotland’s first satellite |

NASASpaceFlight.com

See video at Soyuz 2.1b rocket launch

carrying the Meteor-M2 sat from Baikonur -

YouTube

O3B Launch Image Credit: Arianespace

Arianespace Launches 4 O3b Satellites A Soyuz booster launched O3b Network

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014

Page 15 of 16

satellite from ESA’s Kourou space center to

provide low-cost, high-speed internet and

mobile connectivity. See article at

Arianespace - Mission Update -

Arianespace advances O3b Networks’

revolutionary

Image Credit: Russian Ministry of Defense

vision with another Soyuz

launch success

Successful Angara Rocket Test

Russia’s next generation rocket test was

successful. Launch was from Plesetsk

Cosmodrome on July 9. The Angara rocket

is the first launch of a new booster family

designed to put 3,800 to 24,500 kg into low

earth orbit. See Articles at 1)Russia's

NextGeneration Angara Rocket Aces 1st

Test

Launch, 2) Angara (rocket family) -

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and 3)

Launch Image Credit:

NASA

Blast off video:

Russian 'Angara'

orbit

rocket test launch - YouTube

Antares Lofts Resupply to ISS Orbital

Sciences launched Antares booster with

Cygnus resupply spacecraft from Wallops

Island, VA spaceport. See article at Antares

lofts ORB-2 Cygnus on a path to the ISS |

NASASpaceFlight.com.

See launch video credit NASA/Matthew

Travis/YouTube at [Orb-2] Antares /

Cygnus-2 ISS Resupply Rocket Launch

Replays - YouTube

Oklahoma Space Alliance July 2014 Page 16 of 16

Screenshots credit: SpaceX

video

SpaceX Launches 6 Commercial

Satellites

SpaceX Falcon 9 boosted 6 Orbcomm OG2

satellites. The OG2 network provides

automated communications for applications

such as warehouse management, remote

control, robotics, traffic control, logistic

services, supply chain management, fleet

management and telemedicine. See articles

at 1) SpaceX’s Falcon 9 finally launches

Orbcomm OG2 mission |

NASASpaceFlight.com 2) ORBCOMM. See

launch video at Launch of

SpaceX Falcon 9's 10th Flight with

ORBCOMM OG2 - YouTube