Government/Military

Fuel Line Problems Finally Yield To Probe By Experts; Shuttle Flight Is Safe With No Foam Insulation Problems Seen Discovery Set To Reenter, Land On March 28 And we have liftoff. Spewing brilliant yellow flames and a pink contrail through a deep blue sky at dusk, Space Shuttle Discovery finally launched on its 13-day STS-119...

NASA At 50 Isn’t Adrift; Rather, NASA Still Has Purpose, Relevance, Gerstenmaier Says He Is Asked About Obama Comment A senior NASA official last night rejected the idea that the largest space agency on Earth is adrift and lacking focus or purpose after half a century of operations, while also saying that it may be...

President Obama said NASA suffers from "drift," adding that NASA must have "a new mission that is appropriate for the 21st century," the Orlando Sentinel reported. He also will appoint a new NASA administrator soon to succeed Mike Griffin, a Bush administration appointee whom Obama decided not to retain in the top space post, Obama...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is disbanding the Space Enterprise Council that it fostered more than eight years ago. No public press release announcement of the switch was made by the Chamber. The council has been an active group, organizing seminars on key matters such as what NASA needs to see in proposals from contractors...

NASA awarded a contract worth up to $58 million for administrative support services at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The deal went to REDE/Critique NSS, Joint Venture, of New Orleans. That contract begins May 4 and has a three-year base period of service that includes two one-year extension options. The company will provide general office...

U.S. Intelligence Unsure Whether Iran Already Bought Nuclear Bomb From Another Nation: Witnesses U.S. Intel Experts Say Iran Wields Technological Know-How To Build Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Iran is moving in two out of three crucial areas needed to develop nuclear-armed ballistic missiles, Dennis C. Blair, director of national intelligence, said. One required step is to...

Balanced, Steady Funding Sought For Missile Defense As President Obama is considering whether to resurrect the former White House National Space Council, a recent report recommends just such a move, and also urged full and stable funding for space programs. That funding advice comes as Obama is writing his first federal budget since taking office....

GREENBELT, Md. — Even before President Obama releases his detailed federal government budget plan for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009, leaders of NASA centers across the nation are learning how to do more with fewer people and less money. They described their coping strategies during a symposium on sustainable space exploration conducted by...

NASA test-fired the igniter used to start the Ares I rocket first stage motor, the agency announced. The test paves the way for the initial ground test of the Ares I first stage later this year. Ares I is the first launch vehicle in the Constellation Program family of space vehicles that will transport astronauts...

GREENBELT, Md. – Any changes that President Obama may make in the U.S. space program should be made swiftly, to reduce anxiety and uncertainty caused by rumors churning throughout industry, according to Eric H. Thoemmes, vice president with space systems and operations at Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT]. And whatever course is set for NASA, it...