Space Foundation News & Media
Top Launch Company Presidents Will Speak at 28th National Space Symposium
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 5, 2011) — The Space Foundation has assembled a dynamic panel for the first morning of its 28th National Space Symposium featuring presidents of leading launch companies. The panel, “Launch Providers, Propulsion Partners and the Way to Space,” includes: Francis X. McKenna, president, International Launch Services; James Maser, president, Pratt &…
Third Update of DoD Space Programs 2012 Budget
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 4, 2011) — Congress continues to work on completing the two most important defense-related pieces of legislation before the calendar year ends. The latest step was the Senate passing its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It differs from its House counterpart and, as such, those differences must be…
Carlton Brewer Named Aerojet Huntsville Site Executive
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Dec. 2, 2011) – Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, announced today that Carlton Brewer has been appointed as site executive for its Huntsville, Ala. location. Carlton has worked in the aerospace and defense sector over the past 24 years in varying levels of responsibility within the Department of Defense weapons system program…
Sister City Mayor Visits Mars Yard
A number of high-level officials have visited the the Mars Yard at the Space Foundation Discovery Institute over the past weeks. Most recently, Colorado Springs’ sister city, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico, sent a delegation of city officials to visit Colorado Springs and part of the tour included the Space Foundation Discovery Institute and Jack Swigert…
Science, Industry Leaders Serve as Judges
Seven high-profile international space leaders have been tapped by the Space Foundation to select technologies for induction into the prestigious Space Technology Hall of Fame® in 2012. The program honors innovations by organizations and individuals who transform space technology into commercial products that improve life on Earth. Award ceremonies for the 2012 inductees and honorees…
NASA Budget Analysis Available
Despite a very contentious year between Congress and the White House, President Barack Obama signed a spending bill in November that sets the 2012 budget for NASA, bringing to an end several years of operation under restrictive Continuing Resolutions that underfunded the agency. According to Space Foundation Vice President – Washington Operations Brendan Curry, “This…
China is Topic of Hearing
The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation held a hearing on Nov. 2 on Efforts to Transfer America’s Leading Edge Science to China. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., warned against U.S. engagement with China on matters of technology. Ranking Member of the Subcommittee Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., expressed a different view, saying…
What's Next for U.S. Planetary Science?
In mid-November, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing on Exploring Mars and Beyond: What’s Next for U.S. Planetary Science. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., called the Mars Sample Return Mission a “very expensive undertaking” and suggested an “obvious option would be to engage with the European…
Hearing Questions JPSS-1 Readiness
At a Nov. 16 Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard hearing on Weathering Change: Need for Continued Innovation in Forecasting and Prediction, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, expressed concern about recent Government Accountability Office (GA0) reports indicating that the Joint Polar Satellite System JPSS-1 mission may be delayed by technical development problems. A…
Exploration "Too Important" to Give Less than Best
“The effective restoration of U.S. exploration leadership is simply too important to the well-being of the nation, both economically and competitively, for us to give anything less than our very best to ensure its success,” was how Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., summed up his thoughts at a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Science…