AWST STORY: "The SpaceX Falcon Will Challenge Orbital Sciences and Boeing
By Craig Covault
03/28/2004 03:36:38 PM


BRING IT ON!
In a move to attack the 'high-cost culture' of the U.S. launch industry, the aggressive new SpaceX commercial rocket company is enlisting the help of Pratt & Whitney to take market share away from Boeing for commercial and military geosynchronous orbit missions.
The SpaceX Falcon rocket project will specifically target Boeing, by offering the SpaceX Falcon V booster for 60-70% less than Boeing can fly its Delta II and newer Delta IV Medium Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, said Elon Musk, SpaceX chairman and CEO.
SpaceX plans to pursue Boeing by using existing technology in innovative ways on its Falcon V first stage, combined with a powerful and proven Pratt & Whitney RL10 hydrogen/oxygen-powered second stage. "
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GO THERE AND READ THIS. - LRK -

House Committee on Science: "STATEMENT OF ELON MUSK, SPACEX CEO BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING ON COMMERICAL HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT; U.S. SENATE SCIENCE, COMMERCE AND TECHNOLOGY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE; U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS JULY 24, 2003
Senator Brownback and members of the Senate Science, Commerce and Technology Space Subcommittee; Congressman Rohrabacher and members of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee; on behalf of the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to come before you today to address issues related to access to space.

It is despairing to consider that the cost and reliability of access to space have barely changed since the Apollo era over three decades ago. Yet in virtually every other field of technology, we have made great strides in reducing cost and increasing capability, often in ways we did not dream existed. We have improved computing costs by a factor 10,000 or more, decoded the human genome, built the Internet and made inter-continental flight available to the average citizen for no more than a few hundred dollars. The exception to this wave of development has been space launch, but why?

My best guess at the origin of the problem relates to a breakdown of a process that the economist Schumpeter called 'creative destruction'. He postulated that the way an industry improves is that new companies enter a market with a lower price or superior product. This creates a forcing function for the whole market to improve. Looking at space launch vehicles, we see a situation where there has been not one single, successful new entrant in four decades, apart from one firm established in the late 1980s. Even in that case, the solid rocket motors that constitute a majority of the manufacturing costs of its launchers are in fact built by existing aerospace companies. So we have really seen no truly new entrants to the American launch vehicle market and, as such, should not be surprised that costs have not been reduced.
"
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NASA Ames Research Center - Ames News: "March 25, 2004
Kathleen Burton
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Phone: 650-604-1731 or 650-604-9000
Email: Kathleen.M.Burton@nasa.gov

NASA PRESENTS STAR-STUDDED MARS DEBATE

A group of science fiction writers, academic luminaries and NASA scientists will hold a lively debate about terraforming Mars at NASA Ames Research Center on March 30, 2004.
The debate is the first in a new series of discussions entitled 'Science Fiction Meets Science Fact.' This series is the result of a shared vision between NASA, Breakpoint Media and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, scheduled to open in summer 2004. The free, open-to-the-public debate will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. PST in the main tent on the Moffett Field parade grounds at NASA Ames.
'The series is an exciting collaboration between NASA's online Astrobiology magazine (www.astrobio.net) and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame,' said Dr. Michael Meyer, NASA's senior scientist for astrobiology. 'Terraforming has long been a fictional topic, and now, with real scientists exploring the reality, we can ask, 'What are the real possibilities, as well as the potential ramifications, of transforming Mars?' '
Terraforming is the deliberate alteration of an environment or climate on a planetary scale. "
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The Herald: "Hypersonic jet clocked at 5000mph

STEPHEN STEWARTMarch 29 2004

Copyright � 2004 Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited. All Rights Reserved
Sitemap :: Subscription :: Syndication :: Advertising :: About Us :: Terms of Use


A HYPERSONIC jet broke the world speed record and set a bench-mark in space travel by moving at seven times the speed of sound in a high-altitude test over the Pacific, Nasa scientists announced yesterday."

CRS Report: IB93062 - Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports - NLE: "CONTENTS
SUMMARY
MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
U.S. Launch Vehicle Policy
From 'Shuttle-Only' to 'Mixed Fleet'
Clinton Administration Launch Vehicle Policy
U.S. Launch Vehicle Programs and Issues
NASA's Space Shuttle Program
Future Launch Vehicle Development Programs
DOD's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Program
Government-Led Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Programs
The X-33 and X-34 Programs
Space Launch Initiative (SLI)
Private Sector RLV Development Efforts
U.S. Commercial Launch Services Industry
Congressional Interest
Foreign Competition (Including Satellite Export Issues)
Europe
China
U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Agreements for Launch Services
U.S. Satellite Exports to China: 1988-1997
Satellite Exports to China: 1998-Present (Including the 'Loral/Hughes' Issue and the Cox Committee Report)
Lockheed Martin
Agency Jurisdiction Over Satellite Export Licenses
Russia
Ukraine
India and Japan
LEGISLATION "

CNN.com - China's moon launch on fast track - Mar 26, 2004: "SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- China has moved up the launch of a moon-orbiting satellite by one year to 2006, state media said Friday, adding momentum to the space program that got a massive boost from October's successful manned flight.
The lunar mission, originally scheduled for 2007, will place a two-ton satellite into orbit around the moon for at least a year, said the official Xinhua News Agency.
The satellite would take three-dimensional images of the moon's surface, it said."
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Science & Technology: Lander: "Lander
Introduction
The 100 kg Rosetta Lander will be the first spacecraft ever to make a soft landing on the surface of a comet nucleus. The Lander is provided by a European consortium under the leadership of the German Aerospace Research Institute (DLR). Other members of the consortium are ESA, CNES and institutes from Austria, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and the UK.
The box-shaped Lander is carried in piggyback fashion on the side of the Orbiter until it arrives at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Once the Orbiter is aligned correctly, the ground station commands the Lander to self-eject from the main spacecraft and unfold its three legs, ready for a gentle touch down at the end of the ballistic descent. On landing, the legs damp out most of the kinetic energy to reduce the chance of bouncing, and they can rotate, lift or tilt to return the Lander to an upright position.
Immediately after touchdown, a harpoon is fired to anchor the Lander to the ground and prevent it escaping from the comet's extremely weak gravity. The minimum mission target for scientific observations is one week, but surface operations may continue for many months."

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Science & Technology: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko: "
26-Mar-2004 05:13:19 UT


67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Rosetta was originally intended to rendezvous with the periodic comet 46P/Wirtanen, but, after the launch was delayed, the target was changed to another regular visitor to the inner Solar System, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Diameter of nucleus - estimated (km)3 x 5
Rotation Period (hours)~12
Orbital period (years)6.57
Perihelion distance from Sun (million km)194 (1.29 AU)
Aphelion distance from Sun (million km)858 (5.74 AU)
Orbital eccentricity0.632
Orbital inclination (degrees)7.12
Year of discovery1969
DiscoverersKlim Churyumov &
Svetlana Gerasimenko"

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Science & Technology: Summary: "Summary
The International Rosetta Mission was approved in November 1993 by ESA's Science Programme Committee as the Planetary Cornerstone Mission in ESA's long-term space science programme. The original mission goal was to rendezvous with comet 46P/Wirtanen. After its launch postponement in January 2003, Rosetta will now aim at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. On its 10 year journey to the comet, the spacecraft will pass close to at least one asteroid.
Rosetta operations will be carried out from ESA's Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt. Orbit determination for all mission phases will also be performed by ESOC.
Rosetta was sucessfully launched on 2 March 2004 by an Ariane-5 G+ from Kourou, French Guiana. To gain enough orbital energy to reach its target, one Mars and three Earth gravity assists will be required. The long mission duration has required the introduction of extended hibernation periods.
The mission falls into several distinct phases:
EventNominal date
Launch March 2004
First Earth gravity assistMarch 2005
Mars gravity assistMarch 2007
Second Earth gravity assistNovember 2007
Third Earth gravity assistNovember 2009
Enter hibernationJuly 2011
Exit hibernationJanuary 2014
Rendezvous manoeuvreMay 2014
Global MappingAugust 2014
Lander DeliveryNovember 2014
Perihelion PassageAugust 2015
End of MissionDecember 2015


____________________________________
Last Update: 02 Mar 2004 "

President's Commission on Moon, Mars and Beyond: "President's Commission on
Moon, Mars and Beyond"
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News
Entrepreneurs, Labor Representatives, Engineers And Media To Testify In Atlanta

The President's Commission on Moon, Mars and Beyond has invited experts from organized labor, the media, the Aerospace Engineering department of Georgia Tech, and the world of space commerce to testify at a public hearing March 24 and 25, 2004. The hearing will be held at the Georgia Centers for Advanced Telecommunications Technology (GCATT) Auditorium on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia.
[more]

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cover.htm: "NASA SP-4211


BEYOND THE ATMOSPHERE

EARLY YEARS OF SPACE SCIENCE

Homer E.Newell

The NASA History Series "

Astronomy Community - NEA 2004 FH Makes a Close Pass: "The near-Earth asteroid 2004 FH may come as close as 43,000 to 60,000 kilometers to the Earth on March 18th at 22:08 UT. The 30 meter sized object may become as bright as 10th magnitude for a short time as it speeds by at 20 degrees/hour. See http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news142.html for further details. For a preliminary ephemeris, which will need to be updated, see the links at http://www.spaceweather.com

Dave Mitsky"
-------------
SEE WEB SITE FOR MORE COMMENTS - LRK -

Astronomy Community - NEA 2004 FH Makes a Close Pass: "The near-Earth asteroid 2004 FH may come as close as 43,000 to 60,000 kilometers to the Earth on March 18th at 22:08 UT. The 30 meter sized object may become as bright as 10th magnitude for a short time as it speeds by at 20 degrees/hour. See http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news142.html for further details. For a preliminary ephemeris, which will need to be updated, see the links at http://www.spaceweather.com

Dave Mitsky"
-------------
SEE WEB SITE FOR MORE COMMENTS - LRK -

Recently Discovered Near-Earth Asteroid Makes Record-breaking Approach to Earth: "Recently Discovered Near-Earth Asteroid Makes Record-breaking Approach to Earth


Asteroid 2004 FH passes about 43,000 km (26,500 miles) above the Earth's surface on March 18, 2004. Earth's gravity bends the trajectory of the asteroid by about 15 degrees. The asteroid crosses from one side of the Moon's orbit to the other in 31 hours.

Steven R. Chesley
Paul W. Chodas
NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
A small near-Earth asteroid (NEA), discovered Monday night by the NASA-funded LINEAR asteroid survey, will make the closest approach to Earth ever recorded. There is no danger of a collision with the Earth during this encounter.
The object, designated 2004 FH, is roughly 30 meters (100 feet) in diameter and will pass just 43,000 km (26,500 miles, or about 3.4 Earth diameters) above the Earth's surface on March 18th at 5:08 PM EST (2:08 PM PST, 22:08 UTC).
On average, objects about the size of 2004 FH pass within this distance roughly once every two years, but most of these small objects pass by undetected. This particular close approach is unusual only in the sense that scientists know about it. The fact that an object as small as asteroid 2004 FH has been discovered now is mostly a matter of perseverance by the LINEAR team, which is funded by NASA to search for larger kilometer-sized NEAs, but also routinely detect much smaller objects. "

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SEE THE GRAPHICS AT URL - LRK -

Lorenz Attractor:
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"The term 'sensitive dependence on initial conditions' was coined to describe the phenomenon that small changes in a recursive system can drastically change the results of running that system. A term Lorenz coined to describe sensitive dependence on initial conditions is the 'butterfly effect.' This is another thought experiment which is hardly testable: imagine that there exist two earths, so that an incorporeal observer could compare events on one earth to another. Now imagine that both earths are identical except for one fact; in one, a butterfly flaps its wings somewhere in South America, and in the other, this butterfly remains still. One might think that such a small discrepancy between the two earths would be inconsequential; after all, nobody was there, nobody could even notice the butterfly's wings flapping, and air currents would be affected only minorly by such a miniscule event."
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SO FLAP YOUR WINGS OH BUTTERFLY - MAKE A DIFFERENCE - LRK -

JPL News -- William H. Pickering, Former Director of JPL, Dies: "William H. Pickering, Former Director of JPL, Dies
March 16, 2004
Dr. William H. Pickering, a central figure in the U.S. space race and former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., from 1954 to 1976, has died.
Pickering -- known affectionately as 'Mr. JPL' and an original 'Rocket Man,' and one of few public figures to appear twice on the cover of Time magazine -- passed away Monday of pneumonia at his home in La Canada Flintridge, Calif. He was 93.
'Dr. Pickering was one of the titans of our nation's space program,' said Dr. Charles Elachi, the current director of JPL. 'It was his leadership that took America into space and opened up the moon and planets to the world.'
'He brought a vision and passion to space exploration that was remarkable,' said Dr. Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for space science. 'His pioneering work is the very foundation we have built upon to explore our solar system and beyond.'
"
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See JPL News Release - LRK -

New Zealand News - NZ - Leading space pioneer Sir William Pickering dead at 93: "Leading space pioneer Sir William Pickering dead at 93

17.03.2004
4.00pm
One of the world's leading space scientists, Wellington born Sir William Pickering died today aged 93.
In 1993 when Sir William was awarded the inaugural Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Aerospace Prize for his contribution to space science, the president of Caltech University Thomas Everhart said: 'More than any other individual, Bill Pickering was responsible for America's success in exploring the planets an endeavour that demanded vision, courage, dedication, expertise and the ability to inspire two generations of scientists and engineers'.
Sir William died at his home in Flintridge, California. "

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See the rest of his accomplishments in the article. - LRK -

You Are Here :: Astrobiology Magazine :: Search for Life in the Universe: "Summary: The Spirit rover captured a unique perspective on the Earth as seen from the surface of another planet. Because Mars is beyond Earth's orbit, our home world appears to follow the Sun's path, which makes glare-free photography of Earth difficult. But the history of viewing our planet as a pale blue dot as seen from afar has fueled the imagination ever since Voyager first saw Earth as a single pixel from the edge of our solar system."
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House Committee on Science: "Committee on Science
SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, CHAIRMAN
Bart Gordon, Tennessee, Ranking DemocratPress Contacts:
Heidi Mohlman Tringe
(202) 225-4275

EXPERTS SUPPORT PRESIDENT'S SPACE PLAN, BUT CALL FOR CHANGES
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2004 - Expert witnesses before the House Science Committee today endorsed the broad outlines of the President's space exploration initiative, but called for changes and refinements in some of its elements.
Specifically, several witnesses criticized the reductions proposed in NASA's space science programs to pay for the initiative, and they urged NASA to come up with new ways to get fresh ideas into the program, including from entrepreneurs and the public. The witnesses also agreed that understanding and counteracting the effects of radiation in space on human physiology is one of the most serious hurdles to sustained human activity in space. Two of the witnesses argued that the moon might not be a sensible interim goal for the exploration initiative, but others endorsed the approach outlined in the President's plan - first the space station, then the moon and then Mars. "

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House Committee on Science: "Committee on Science
SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, CHAIRMAN
Bart Gordon, Tennessee, Ranking DemocratPress Contacts:
Heidi Mohlman Tringe
Jeff Donald
(202) 225-4275

SPACE BILL ROCKETS TOWARD CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 4, 2004 - The House of Representatives today approved legislation, sponsored by Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), designed to promote the development of the emerging commercial human space flight industry. H.R. 3752, The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, would put in place a clear, balanced regulatory regime to promote the industry while ensuring public safety. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate.
'Through our hearings and other work on the bill, I have come to see this as one of the most important measures this Committee will move this year,' stated House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). 'This is about a lot more than 'joy rides' in space, although there's nothing wrong with such an enterprise. This is about the future of the U.S. aerospace industry. As in most areas of American enterprise, the greatest innovations in aerospace are most likely to come from small entrepreneurs. This is true whether we're talking about launching humans or cargo. And the goal of this bill is to promote robust experimentation, to make sure that entrepreneurs and inventors have the incentives and the capabilities they need to pursue their ideas. That's important to our nation's future.' Boehlert's full statement follows this release."
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House Committee on Science

Committee on Science
SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, CHAIRMAN
Bart Gordon, Tennessee, Ranking Democrat
Press Contacts:
Heidi Mohlman Tringe
Jeff Donald
(202) 225-4275

HOUSE PASSES ASTEROID LEGISLATION AND BILL TO HELP NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS


WASHINGTON, D.C., March 3, 2004 - The House of Representatives approved two Science Committee bills today. The House voted to reward amateur astronomers for discovering near-earth asteroids, and to help non-profits across the country by adding the category of "Non-Profit" to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The bills are described in more detail below.

H.R. 912, The Charles 'Pete' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act
H.R. 912, the Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Act, named for the third man to walk on the moon, establishes awards to encourage amateur astronomers to discover and track near-earth asteroids. The bill directs the NASA Administrator to make awards, of $3,000 each, based on the recommendations of the Smithsonian Minor Planet Center. Earth has experienced several near misses with asteroids that would have proven catastrophic, and the scientific community relies heavily on amateur astronomers to discover and track these objects.

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Apollo Expeditions to the Moon: Contents: "HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH
FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON
JULY 1969 A.D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND

From the plaque on the Eagle, Apollo 11,
which landed on the moon, July 20, 1969.


Apollo Expeditions to the Moon
TABLE OF CONTENTS"
------------------------------
Apollo Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350, 1975). This richly illustrated work was edited by Edgar Cortright and contains chapters written by various key figures in the Aopolll program such as James Webb, Robert Gilruth, and Werhner von Braun. Out of print for a number of years, this Web version should be of special interest due to the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in July 1999. Our special thanks go to Hans-Peter Engel, who did a tremendous job scanning and formatting the text and the many full-color images for the Web.
------------------------------

>> YOU NEED TO READ THIS AND GET AN APPRECIATION FOR WHAT WE ARE GOING BACK TO.
- LRK - <<

ABCNEWS.com : Silicon Insider: Mars Discovery: "Icarus Rising
Why the Discovery of Water on Mars Is Great Turning Point in Human History

Commentary
By Michael S. Malone
Special to ABCNEWS.com

March 4 � Watching the news about the discovery of water on Mars Tuesday, I was reminded of Auden's great poem, 'Mus�e des Beaux Arts.' "
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ESA - Aurora Programme - More about Aurora: "Aurora's origins

Aurora is part of Europe's strategy for space, endorsed by the European Union Council of Research and the ESA Council in 2001. This strategy calls for Europe to:
explore the solar system and the Universe
stimulate new technology
inspire the young people of Europe to take a greater interest in science and technology
As a result of this challenge, in 2001 ESA set up the Aurora Programme - a cooperative programme between the ESA Directorates of Science, Human Space Flight, and Technical and Operational Support. "

NASA spinoffs, space benefits, space history, NASA space spinoffs, NASA technology products:
NASA Spinoffs
Bringing Space down to Earth

"Some of the most frequently asked questions about the U.S. space program are 'Why go into space when we have so many problems here on Earth?' and 'What does the space program do for me?' These are legitimate questions and unfortunately not enough people have been made aware of the vast benefits the space program provides that increase the quality of our daily lives. Applications on Earth of technology needed for space flight have produced thousands of 'spinoffs' that contribute to improving national security, the economy, productivity and lifestyle. It is almost impossible to find an area of everyday life that has not been improved by these spinoffs. Collectively, these secondary applications represent a substantial return on the national investment in aerospace research. We should be spending more."
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A PAGE OF THINGS WE GOT FROM GOING TO SPACE - LRK -

NASA spinoffs, space benefits, space history, NASA space spinoffs, NASA technology products:
NASA Spinoffs
Bringing Space down to Earth

"Some of the most frequently asked questions about the U.S. space program are 'Why go into space when we have so many problems here on Earth?' and 'What does the space program do for me?' These are legitimate questions and unfortunately not enough people have been made aware of the vast benefits the space program provides that increase the quality of our daily lives. Applications on Earth of technology needed for space flight have produced thousands of 'spinoffs' that contribute to improving national security, the economy, productivity and lifestyle. It is almost impossible to find an area of everyday life that has not been improved by these spinoffs. Collectively, these secondary applications represent a substantial return on the national investment in aerospace research. We should be spending more."
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A PAGE OF THINGS WE GOT FROM GOING TO SPACE - LRK -

The Future of Space - The Eisenhower Institute, Washington, D.C.: "DESIRE AND DENIAL: The Nullification of Cryogenic Rocket Motor Technologies to India
By V.S. Arunachalam

The Missile Technology Control Regime, MTCR for short, was formed in 1987 by seven countries, mainly from Europe and North America, to control the export of missile and rocket systems and technologies. The rationale behind this initiative is that by controlling the technology flow it would be possible to prevent, or at least minimize, the global spread of carrier systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. This regime was seen as an addition to the other two existing groups, Nuclear Suppliers Group formed to control the export of nuclear materials and technologies and a similar Group set up to prevent the export of materials, equipment and technologies for manufacturing chemical and biological weapons [1]. In 1993, India experienced the impact of the MTCR guidelines on its major space program when its purchase order for technologies needed to manufacture cryogenic rocket motor stages was refused by Russia, after the contract was signed, and when India and Russia were actually working to implement the project. It became known that Russia was forced to abjure its commitment citing force majeure clause in the contract because of the pressure exerted by the United States. The pressure to nullify the contract was so intense, it was said, that Vice President Al Gore had cancelled his meetings with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin in early 1993 to express US dissatisfaction with Russia's continuing commitment to honor the Indian contract. There were also warnings of cancellation of the lucrative Space Station contracts that could have gone to Russian agencies and black-listing them if Russia went ahead with the Indian pr"
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ISRO sales pitch: give us 10 kg, we'll fly it to the moon for free: "

ISRO sales pitch: give us 10 kg, we�ll fly it to the moon for free

PALLAVA BAGLA

NEW DELHI I FEBRUARY 28: May be the next India Shining ad you see will feature space! For, you may debate the moon mission but the Indian Space Research Organisation has begun work. Already allocated Rs 70 crore this month�a fifth of its estimated cost�the mission (Chandrayaan I) has got a 46-year-old engineer as its project director and has worked out its sales pitch too.
Last week, ISRO announced it would give a free ride to 10-kg payloads from different countries (in effect, writing off Rs 51 crore for each country that takes up the offer) in exchange for data. "
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index: "INDIA'S FIRST MISSION TO MOON
CHANDRAYAAN - 1
Announcement of Opportunity (Revision 0)
1Inviting Proposals for Scientific Payloads onboard
Chandrayaan-1: The First Indian Lunar Mission

Purpose of the Announcement of Opportunity
Chandrayaan-1: Mission Definition and Goal
Mission Objectives
Specific areas of study
Proposed Scientific Payloads
Brief technical specification of the payloads
Proposal Preparation Format "

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Space News March 1, 2004: "India Advances Lunar Mission Launch to 2007

By: K.S. Jayaraman
Space News Correspondent

Encouraged by the rapid pace of progress to date on its planned $100 million lunar orbiter mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has moved the launch date for the robotic probe up by one year.
Originally scheduled to launch in 2008, the Chandrayaan-1 mission now could lift off in 2007 or even earlier, according to ISRO Chairman Gopalan Madhavan Nair. Searching for potential deposits of Helium-3 -- envisioned as a fuel for future fusion reactors -- is one of the key objectives of the mission, Nair added during a speech Feb. 17 here at the 13th National Space Science Symposium."
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