Canberra (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - Australia summoned China's ambassador to explain Beijing's reported test in space of a satellite-killing weapon and to express concern about the militarisation of space, officials said Friday.
Washington (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - The United States expressed concern Friday that China's test of a satellite-killing missile had scattered debris in space that could endanger the manned International Space Station or orbiting satellites.
London (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - Britain added its voice to international concern over China's reported shooting down of an orbiting satellite Friday, in particular Beijing's lack of consultation and the potential impact of debris. Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman told reporters that British officials had raised the matter with China on Wednesday.
Beijing (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - Like its cheap exports, rising military budget and quest for oil, China insists its space program is of no threat to the rest of the world -- but many do not agree. The United States, Japan, Australia and a host of other countries voiced concern on Friday after Washington said China last week had shot down one of its own satellites for the first time in a test exercise.
Moscow (AFP) Jan 18, 2007 - Russian space agency Roskosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA) are in talks to jointly build a space vehicle that could be launched from a base in French Guiana, representatives of Russian space constructor RKK Energiya and ESA said Thursday. The vehicle would be based on an updated version of the Russian Soyuz, and could be ready for its first flight by 2010 and launched by the Russian Soyuz-2 rocket, RKK Energiya head Nikolai Sevastyanov was quoted by news agency ITAR-TASS as saying.
Long Beach, CA (SPX) Jan 18, 2007 - The Sea Launch team is preparing for its first mission of the year on January 25, with the launch of the NSS-8 communications satellite for SES NEW SKIES. Liftoff is planned at the opening of a 37-minute launch window beginning at 3:22 pm Pacific Standard Time (23:22 GMT). The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander are currently sailing to the launch site, at 154 degrees West Longitude on the Equator, to begin launch operations.
Baikonur, Kazakhstan (SPX) Jan 18, 2007 - A new Progress is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station a little after 9 p.m. EST Wednesday, Jan. 17, with more than 2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, other supplies and equipment aboard. The station's 24th Progress unpiloted cargo carrier will bring to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,720 pounds of propellant, about 110 pounds of oxygen, and 3,285 pounds of dry cargo - a total of 5,115 pounds.
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Jan 18, 2007 - A Russian Soyuz-U booster rocket with a Progress M-59 space freighter has been launched from the Baikonur space center to the International Space Station, a spokesman for the Russian Federal Space Agency said Thursday. The carrier rocket lifted off on schedule, he said, adding the Progress M-59 cargo ship separated at 5:21 a.m. Moscow time (2:21 a.m. GMT) and reached a preprogrammed orbit, setting on an approach course toward the ISS.
Moscow (SPX) Jan 18, 2007 - Research and industrial facilities will emerge based on the International Space Station (ISS), RIA Novosti reported referring to Nikolay Sevastianov, chief of RSC Energia.
Mojave CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2007 - XCOR Aerospace has completed a series of successful test firings of its new 7,500 pound thrust rocket engine. The tests were conducted as part of a $3.3 million subcontract XCOR has with Alliant Techsystems. The tests support NASA's advanced development program to obtain liquid methane rocket engine technology for future space applications. Six short-duration test fires have been completed.
Huntsville AL (SPX) Jan 16, 2007 - Graduate students and faculty researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville are investigating propulsion concepts that could eventually revolutionize deep space travel. The Plasmoid Thruster Experiment (PTX) is a stepping stone to a highly efficient propulsion concept which could ultimately change how we travel in space, according to Dr. Jason Cassibry, a researcher in UAH's Propulsion Research Center.
Paris, France (SPX) Jan 15, 2007 - QinetiQ has conducted the final testing of its T5 ion thrusters that will enable a European space mission to measure and map the Earth's gravity field in far greater detail than ever previously achieved. QinetiQ's T5 ion thrusters will provide high precision drag compensation for the European Space Agency (ESA) GOCE spacecraft, due for launch later this year. The data captured by GOCE will contribute significantly to our understanding of the Earth's structure, climate and the impacts of climate change.
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Jan 15, 2007 - Russian and European firms are pursuing a joint program to develop heavy-duty launch vehicles. The program, known as Oural, is financed equally by both parties. The European Space Agency, as its spokesmen are wont to say, is Europe's passport to space. Today it comprises 15 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Britain, Norway and others. For a long time the Old World's space program was way behind that of the United States, but measures taken by the ESA in recent years have improved its situation.
Houston TX (SPX) Jan 15, 2007 - After a three-day holiday to celebrate the Russian Orthodox Christmas, astronauts on the International Space Station spent the week packing trash into the Progress 22 cargo craft and unpacking items delivered by Progress 23 as they prepared for the arrival of new supplies.
Manchester, UK (SPX) Jan 15, 2007 - Starchaser industries has been awarded a study contract from the European Space Agency for the detailed assessment of their Thunderstar / Starchaser 5A space tourism reusable launch vehicle to verify its technical feasibility and ability to meet future space tourists expectations. The study will also refine the Starchaser Business Plan to demonstrate that space tourism can be sustained in a wholly commercial environment.
Fairbanks, AK (SPX) Jan 15, 2007 - Five NASA rockets are scheduled to launch from Poker Flat Research Range this month. The launch window opens on Jan. 10, at 10 p.m. AST, and runs until 4 a.m. AST, each night through Wednesday, Jan. 27. The five rockets will launch in two separate campaigns. Marc Lessard is the principal investigator of the first campaign, dubbed ROPA, short for Rocket Observation for Pulsating Aurora that will send a large Black Brant XII sounding rocket through pulsating aurora north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
