Workshop Description: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is preparing an addition to ROA-2009, NNH09ZEA001N (this is announced under NNH09ZEA001N-1). In keeping with the current structure of the ROA NRA, ARMD plans to amend the NRA with the detailed requirements to solicit proposals for the "Subsonic Fixed Wing N+2 Advanced Low NOx Combustor Technologies". We are conducting this workshop to share information on the technologies of interest and expectations, and to seek input from the broad aeronautics community to refine the solicitation - which is expected be released one week after the pre-solicitation workshop.  

Lockheed Martin wins $977 million NASA contract

Passenger space travel 'by middle of next decade

Passengers will be able to fly through space from London to New York in 45 minutes by the middle of the next decade, experts believe.

Sydney could be only two and a half hours away and it could take less time to get to Tokyo than it does to take a train from London to Manchester.

Walter Peeters, dean of the International Space University in Strasbourg, said that what has been regarded as the stuff of science fiction is close to becoming reality.

He is among a number of scientists who are convinced that "space tourism" and "sub-orbital point to point travel" (SPTP) are on the point of becoming a flourishing industries.

Earth Can't Cope, New Planets Needed

In their recent Living Planet Report for this year, the World Wildlife Federation is suggesting that this planet's resources won't be enough for us.

"The Earth.s biocapacity is the amount of biologically productive area . cropland, pasture, forest, and fisheries . that is available to meet humanity.s needs.

"Since the late 1980s, we have been in overshoot - the Ecological Footprint has exceeded the Earth.s biocapacity - by about 25%.

Ozone hole 5th-largest ever

This year.s ozone hole over Antarctica was the fifth-biggest on record, reaching a maximum area of 10.5 million square miles in September, NASA said Tuesday. That.s considered .moderately large,. NASA atmospheric scientist Paul Newman said in a statement. NASA has tracked the size of the hole for 30 years. Last year, it was 9.7 million square miles, about the size of North America. The hole is an area of depletion in the stratospheric ozone layer, which blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from space. Created by human-produced gases, the ozone hole generally forms in August and grows to its maximum size in September or October before breaking up.

NASA $350,000 Prize Goes to Armadillo Aerospace in Lunar Challenge

Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall, Texas, earned $350,000 in NASA prize money during the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge in Las Cruces, N.M. The challenge is a two-level, $2 million competition designed to accelerate commercial space technology  and is sponsored by NASA's Centennial Challenges program. After Armadillo's $350,000 first place win for level one this year, $1.65 million remains as available prize money for future competitions.

Armadillo's winning vehicle successfully demonstrated some of the technologies needed for a lunar lander capable of ferrying payloads or humans back and forth between lunar orbit and the lunar surface. During the first day of competition at Las Cruces International Airport on Oct. 24, the vehicle rose to a height of 50 meters, translated to a landing pad 100 meters away while staying aloft for at least 90 seconds, landed safely and later repeated the flight.