SPOKANE, Wa., 16 Aug. 2011. NASA engineers and officials might not be launching people into space, but they are no doubt busy, reveals C.E. Howard in this week's Avionics Intelligence Report. The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has completed a three-year journey and reached the Endeavor crater, a site of particular interest to NASA scientists following the detection of unique clay mineral deposits by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, partnering with commercial space firms, and requesting proposals for technology payloads.
Its Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has completed a three-year journey and reached the Endeavor crater, a site of particular interest to NASA scientists following the detection of unique clay mineral deposits by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
NASA officials announced seven aerospace companies—one of which is Virgin Galactic, a commercial space company I’ve discussed in previous reports. The seven companies, based on contracts totaling $10 million, will fly technology payloads to the boundary of space, or near space, on suborbital reusable platforms.
NASA officials are also seeking proposals for small satellite payloads to fly on CubeSat
miniature research spacecraft in 2012, 2013, and 2014, to demonstrate viable launch opportunities for CubeSat payloads as auxiliary payloads on planned missions.
A CubeSat is a 1U cube – measuring 10 centimeters or roughly four inches in size and no more than 1 kilogram in weight. Proposed CubeSat investigations must address an aspect of science, exploration, technology development, education, or operations encompassed by NASA’s strategic goals and outcomes.
Visit http://www.fedbizopps.gov, keyword “Cubesat” or http://www.avionics-intelligence.com for more information. That’s all for now. Thank you for watching the Avionics Intelligence Report.
