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Space Travel Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Space Travel Editorial Team

Editorial Team

The Space Travel Editorial Team produces Space Travel's coverage of human spaceflight and access to space. We report on launch, crewed missions and space tourism, and the propulsion, vehicles and human factors of getting people to space. Articles reflect our team's collective editorial process, source verification, drafting, technical review, and editing, rather than a single writer's work. Space Travel takes editorial responsibility for content under this byline. For more on how we work, see our editorial policy.

Legacy Reports

Wyle To Prepare First Passengers For Virgin Galactic Maiden Spaceflight

El Segundo, CA (SPX) Jul 09, 2007 - Virgin Galactic, which expects to become the world's first commercial spaceline, has contracted Wyle to provide chief medical officer, medical data analysis, and program management services to advise and guide the preparation of its first passengers for spaceflight. Wyle's Life Sciences Group, which has more than four decades experience supporting NASA's human space program, provides medical screening and qualification, training, data and risk management, and mission and ground operations support to space transportation providers and operators, spaceports, and regulators through its Commercial Human Spaceflight Services unit.

Jul 9, 2007
Legacy Reports

From Under The Sea And Into Space

Moscow (RIA Novosti) Jul 09, 2007 - Russian Space Agency head Anatoly Perminov recently congratulated Yury Solomonov, general designer of the Moscow Heat Technology Institute, on the successful submarine launch of a new sea-based strategic missile, the Bulava, which was developed by his institute. The launch was part of a series of flight tests. Such publicity given to an event so ordinary and routine may seem strange, but only at first glance.

Jul 9, 2007
Legacy Reports

Shuttle Endeavour To Move To Pad Crew Ready For Countdown Test

Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) Jul 09, 2007 - NASA's space shuttle Endeavour is targeted to roll out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Tuesday, July 10, as preparations for the STS-118 mission continue. First motion of Endeavour is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT. After rollout, the next milestone will be a July 16-19 dress rehearsal of launch, which includes a practice countdown. Endeavour is targeted to lift off Aug. 7 on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

Jul 9, 2007
Legacy Reports

Russia Proton-M Booster Puts US Satellite Into Orbit

Baikonur, Kazakhstan (RIA Novosti) Jul 09, 2007 - A Russian Proton-M carrier rocket has successfully delivered U.S. telecommunications satellite, DirecTV-10, into orbit, Russia's space agency said. The rocket, powered by a Briz-M booster was launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan at 5.16 a.m. Moscow time Saturday (1.16 a.m. GMT). The launch services were provided by International Launch Services, a U.S.-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights for worldwide commercial sales and mission management of satellite launches on Russia's Proton carrier rockets.

Jul 9, 2007
Legacy Reports

NASA Selects Alcoa As Materials Supplier For Ares 1 Launch Vehicle

Bettendorf IO (SPX) Jul 05, 2007 - Alcoa reports that its North American Rolled Products business has won a one year contract from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop the manufacturing capability and supply of high performance aluminum-lithium plate and ingot to be used for the Ares 1 crew launch vehicle (CLV) upper stage, the rocket that will carry a new generation of explorers into space.

Jul 5, 2007
Legacy Reports

First Malaysian Astronaut To Take Off For Space Station October 10

Kuala Lumpur (XNA) Jul 05, 2007 - The first Malaysian astronaut is expected to take off for the International Space Station (ISS) on Oct. 10, Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said here Thursday. Under the contract, the preliminary launching date was Oct. 2, but Russia had set the new date which might also be changed again, according to the report by Malaysia's national news agency Bernama.

Jul 5, 2007
Legacy Reports

Russia Launches Genesis 2 On Converted SS-18 ICBM Launcher

Las Vegas NV (SPX) Jun 29, 2007 - Bigelow Aerospace has established contact with its second pathfinder spacecraft, Genesis II. Launched earlier Thursday from Yasny, Russia, Mission Control in North Las Vegas, Nev., made first contact at 2:20 p.m. PDT. Initial data suggests sufficient voltage powering up Genesis II's batteries as well as expected air pressure. While the actual confirmation of solar panel deployment and spacecraft expansion are expected later, the data suggests that deployment and expansion have been successful.

Jun 29, 2007
Legacy Reports

NASA Selects Reynolds To Design Emergency Egress System For Orion Astronauts

Jacksonville FL (SPX) Jun 28, 2007 - Reynolds, Smith and Hills, a leading facilities and infrastructure consulting firms whose client-centered program structure provides value-added solutions to clients around the world, announced it has been selected by NASA to design the Emergency Egress System for Orion, the next generation space exploration vehicle that is expected to launch in 2014. The new escape system will allow astronauts to travel safely across the launch tower and quickly enter into tram cars, then be whisked down a track to safety, much like a souped up roller coaster.

Jun 28, 2007
Legacy Reports

Development Contracts Signed For Future European Launchers

Paris, France (ESA) Jun 28, 2007 - This week, ESA signed two key contracts with NGL Prime S.p.A. of Italy, one for the definition of launcher system concepts for the European Next Generation Launcher and the other for the development of a European Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV). Both contracts are part of ESA's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), which aim is to develop and demonstrate the technologies for a Next Generation Launcher (NGL) for Europe, which is expected to become operational after 2020.

Jun 28, 2007
Legacy Reports

Shuttle Endeavour Set For Move To Vehicle Assembly Building

Cape Canaveral, FL (SPX) Jun 28, 2007 - In preparation for the STS-118 mission to the International Space Station, NASA is scheduled to rollover space shuttle Endeavour from its hanger, the Orbiter Processing Facility, to the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, July 2. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, crews will mate Endeavour to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. The next milestone for Endeavour is the 3.4-mile rollout to Launch Pad 39A, planned for July 11. Endeavour is targeted for launch in early August.

Jun 28, 2007