Florida Spacegram 3 November 2000
DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2000
TO: FLORIDA SPACE INDUSTRY LEADERS
FROM: EDWARD ELLEGOOD ( 321-730-5301; edward@spaceportflorida.com;
http://www.spaceportflorida.com )
Florida Experiments Among the First Aboard International Space Station–
Microgravity crystal-growth experiments sponsored by the University of
North Florida in Jacksonville are now being conducted aboard the
International Space Station, with support from the joint matching grant
program established by the Florida Space Research Institute, the
Spaceport Authority, and the NASA-sponsored Florida Space Grant
Consortium. The experiments include crystal samples produced by students
in Jacksonville and Miami and are among the first to fly aboard the
yet-to-be-completed orbiting laboratory. The students traveled to
Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama and worked with scientists from
NASA’s Microgravity Research Program to prepare the sample crystals.
There is an opportunity to send a second set of student-prepared samples
to the Space Station in January. Plans are in progress to prepare these
samples at Kennedy Space Center. Students from Dade, Duval, Alachua,
Pasco, and Brevard counties are expected to participate. Business or
professional organizations that would like to co-sponsor these activities
are encouraged to contact the Florida Space Grant Consortium at
904-462-9696.
First Full-Time Crew Arrives at Space Station –The International Space
Station now has its first full-time crew. Two Russians and one American
(the crewí commander) are now on board for a four-month stay, after
launching from Kazakhstan aboard a Russian rocket on Oct. 31. They will
be brought back to Florida by the Space Shuttle.
Spaceport Authority Website Includes New Info on Cape Launchers — Visit
www.spaceportflorida.com for a comprehensive guide to the growing variety
of launch vehicles that are (or soon will be) operational at the Cape
Canaveral Spaceport. Click on “Florida Launchers.”
Europe Denies Increased Funding for Spaceport Upkeep — According to
Space News, European governments have refused to increase 2001 funding
for their Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, despite concerns that
European companies pay more for launch-base upkeep than their U.S.
counterparts do. The European Space Agency has approved $71.1 million for
the launch base in 2001, about the same amount as in 1999 and 2000.
Unlike the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Kourou accommodates one family of
vehicles, the Ariane 4 and Ariane 5.
Florida Companies Receive Recognition for Space Operations — During the
11th Business Opportunities Expo held October 24 at Cape Canaveral,
approximately 216 businesses and 27 counselors from around the state
exhibited their products and services, and several companies were awarded
for their excellent service to NASA and the Air Force. Among the honorees
were: Boeing (large business prime contractor); Dynacs Engineering of Bal
Harbour (small disadvantaged business prime contractor); Dynamac Corp. of
Rockville Maryland (women-owned small business prime contractor);
Johnson, Levinson, Slider, Davila, Inc. of West Palm Beach (small
business prime contractor); TechnoNerds of Orlando (HUBZone small
business); Creative Management Technologies of Cocoa (small disadvantaged
business subcontractor); Wiltech of Brevard County (women-owned small
business subcontractor); and Engravers Metal Fabricators of Merritt
Island (small business subcontractor).
Europe Celebrates 100th Ariane 4 Launch — Europeí Arianespace consortium
on Oct. 29 successfully launched the 100th Ariane 4 rocket on a
commercial mission carrying a Europe*Star telecommunications satellite
from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.
Space.com buys Space News — Florida Today reports that Space.com has
purchased Gannett’s Space News weekly publication and Florida Today’s Space
Online website.
Russia Wants to Convert More Ballistic Missiles into Space Rockets to
Compete Against U.S. — According to Reuters, Russiaí nuclear missile
chief, General Vladimir Yakovlev, announced his desire to offer up to 250
converted Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) to launch
satellites. According to the Reuters story, Gen. Yakovlev proposed a ”
sell-them-cheap campaign to raise cash for the armed forces” during
remarks at the Oct. 31 launch of the first International Space Station
crew. Russia and Ukraine have already dominated the small-satellite,
low-earth-orbit launch market with smaller-sized decommissioned
Soviet-era missiles. The availability of large numbers of these missiles
has already caused dramatic market-share losses to U.S. launchers like
the Athena, Taurus and Pegasus, and slowed the development of other U.S.
and European commercial rockets.
Future of International Launch Quota Agreements Still Uncertain — The
U.S. agreements with Russia and China that were designed to prevent
uncompetitive pricing, promote missile non-proliferation goals, and limit
unfair access to the U.S. geostationary satellite launch market are
scheduled to expire soon and their renewal status is unclear. The
U.S./Russia agreement expires at the end of 2000, while the U.S./China
agreement expires next year. Both agreements may be affected by suspected
missile technology proliferation actions by Russia and China. The current
agreements do not cover the type of low-earth-orbit launches that would
be served by most of the Russian ICBMs referenced in the above news item.
A similar agreement with Ukraine was terminated last year without plans
for renewal, allowing Ukrainian rockets to launch U.S. commercial
geostationary satellites without limitations.
Alaska Spaceport Seeks Range Safety Support — Alaska’s spaceport
authority will procure two Range Safety Systems (RSS) for the Kodiak
Launch Complex (KLC), one for use at the spaceport and one for
down-range. The Alaska Aerospace Development Corp. (AADC) may issue a
request for proposals in December, seeking a low-cost system that
includes differential GPS tracking with telemetry and command destruct,
or other innovative technologies that are certifiable and will reduce
user costs. Interested parties should send their names, addresses, phone
numbers and e-mail addresses to fax # 907-561-3339 or to
lana.dahl@akaerospace.com.
