About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The CSF’s member companies – which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers and service providers – are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.347.1096.

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Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Michael Lopez-Alegria said, “In the latest NASA budget, NASA and the Administration have continued to support a prompt return of American astronauts to the International Space Station on American vehicles. We are encouraged by the support shown for the Commercial Crew Program, which is now in a critical phase as complete crew transportation systems go through design, build and testing.”

“NASA also continues to look toward the future by prioritizing investments in technology through the Space Technology Mission Directorate,” said Commercial Spaceflight Federation Chairman Stuart Witt. “We have always had a world-class space program, and investments in technology, in partnership with industry, are needed to keep us there. Reusable suborbital spacecraft, in particular, are providing new capabilities that NASA is using to develop new technologies and to perform vital scientific research.”

Congress and the Administration have consistently identified commercial providers as a cost-effective, safe and reliable source for routine flights to low-Earth orbit, including transportation of cargo and NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The third round of the Commercial Crew program was awarded in July 2012, with three complete system designs chosen for further development. Because these are competitively-awarded, fixed-price, milestone-based partnerships, NASA only pays for what is successfully developed.

The Commercial Crew program will enable American providers to free us from dependence on the Russian Soyuz for access to the International Space Station, a facility that American taxpayers have invested billions to build. NASA currently pays Russia more than $60 million per seat to access the Space Station, a price that is expected to rise above $70 million in the next few years.

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is revitalizing innovation at NASA, demonstrating technologies that will allow future manned and unmanned missions to reach new destinations. America has always been on the forefront of space and technology, but countries like China and India are rapidly expanding their programs and looking to challenge us. NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program is a key part of the Space Technology Mission Directorate, enabling the testing of new technologies and new modes of scientific research on commercial reusable suborbital vehicles.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The CSF’s member companies – which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers and service providers – are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.347.1096.

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“We expect the 2013 meeting to be the most informative opportunity yet for researchers and educators wishing to fly suborbital experiments in space. Presentation abstracts contributed by the research and education community can be submitted to our web site anytime though March 7,” said meeting convener and program committee chair Alan Stern.

The conference includes tours of local aerospace facilities at Ball Aerospace and Sierra Nevada Corporation. In a first, the 2013 meeting also features three-hour long “deep dive” technical sessions by suborbital flight providers such as Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, XCOR Aerospace  and others, to give the research and education communities a chance to learn in depth about each flight system’s capabilities, development status and future plans for research and education missions.

The meeting will also include a NASA-led workshop on funding and flight opportunities for use of these next-generation vehicles in research, education and technology development.

NSRC-2013 boasts a strong roster of keynote speakers, including NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, FAA Associate Administrator George Nield, NASA Associate Administrators Michael Gararik, NASA’s Space Station Program Manager Mike Suffredini, former Space Shuttle and ISS astronaut and Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Michael Lopez-Alegria, and spaceflight safety expert and former NASA Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale, of Special Aerospace Services.

Sponsored by Southwest Research Institute and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, NSRC-2013 will be held at the Omni Interlocken Hotel and Resort in Broomfield, Colo.

For more information about submitting abstracts or to register for NSRC-2013, visit http://nsrc.swri.org or contact Cindy Conrad, (720) 240-0126 or cindy@boulder.swri.edu.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.347.1096.

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NSRC-2013 will bring together vehicle providers, researchers and educators from academia, government and industry to engage in presentations, workshops and networking opportunities. Keynote speakers will include NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, FAA Associate Administrator George Nield, and former Space Shuttle and ISS astronaut and Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Michael Lopez-Alegria.

Representatives from the suborbital vehicle companies will be available to discuss contracting procedures, training requirements and payload integration. In addition, NASA officials will talk about how researchers can propose suborbital flights in NASA grant applications. Sponsored by Southwest Research Institute and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, NSRC-2013 will be held June 3–5, 2013, at the Omni Interlocken Hotel and Resort in Broomfield, Colo.

“It’s getting more and more exciting as we approach the soon-to-begin era of routine, low-cost space access that will revolutionize space research and education,” says SwRI Associate Vice President Dr. Alan Stern, NSRC-2013 program chair and organizer. “With these capabilities in place, there will be more opportunities for organizations to fly, greatly increasing the prospects of new space-based research in this community.”

“The progress the vehicle providers have made in the last year is compelling. As these companies get closer to flight, it is important for the research and education community to be ready to take advantage of the science and education capabilities that these new platforms will provide,” stated Commercial Spaceflight Federation President, Michael Lopez-Alegria. “I am very excited by what I’ve seen from this community already and I look forward to much more this year.”

The 2013 conference will promote opportunities that this new wave of reusable, commercial suborbital vehicles offer for research and education missions; facilitate questions, feedback and ideas from researchers and educators about mission applications and user requirements; and generate interest among U.S. and international researchers and educators for potential next-gen suborbital funding by entities such as NASA, U.S. Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Geological Survey, National Science Foundation and private industry.

Abstracts will be accepted until March 7, 2013. For more information about abstracts or to register for NSRC 2013, visit http://nsrc.swri.org or contact Cindy Conrad, (720) 240-0126 or cindy@boulder.swri.edu.

About the Southwest Research Institute

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), which has committed funding to fly researcher-astronauts and their payloads onboard commercial suborbital spacecraft, is an independent, nonprofit applied research and development organization. The staff of nearly 3,000 specializes in the creation and transfer of technology in engineering and the physical sciences. The Institute occupies more than 1,200 acres in San Antonio, Texas, with laboratories, test facilities, workshops and offices, and satellite offices in locations such as Boulder, Colo. SwRI staff also lead the CSF’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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The program is looking for more ambassadors to help communicate the broad benefits of suborbital science across the country through public appearances, talks, local articles and op-eds, interpretive dance…it’s your pick! And the SARG Ambassador program will help connect you to those opportunities in your area.

At the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC) next year, you will have an opportunity to meet your fellow ambassadors, and be recognized for your hard work and dedication to furthering this ground-breaking platform for science, research, and education. Still not convinced? Explore the Ambassador’s website, or contact Cindy Conrad at cc@boulder.swri.edu if you have any questions!

CSF President Michael Lopez-Alegria stated, “Despite the loss of Xaero, the Masten team completed virtually all of their test objectives and collected invaluable data from the flight.  More importantly, the personnel from Masten and from the Mojave Air & Space Port, as well as the hardware and software in the flight termination system, performed flawlessly.  The vehicle impacted within the designated test area and no one was injured or endangered.  It is the nature of the flight test business to occasionally experience anomalies; I’m confident that although Masten lost a vehicle, they gained important data that will be put to good use as they continue to develop their designs. I expect to see Masten in the skies again soon.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Assistant Director Sirisha Bandla at sirisha@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1120.

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“This has been an incredible couple of weeks for the companies in the commercial spaceflight industry. Our members are working toward a common goal of opening spaceflight up to the public and expanding NASA’s reach, which will create high-tech jobs in the U.S. while building innovative technology that will improve life on Earth. SpaceX achieved a historic first, and in just the ten days while they were in orbit, many other companies hit milestones or announced new initiatives.”

XCOR Aerospace announced on May 24^th that its liquid oxygen piston pump is now ready for reusable spaceflight. XCOR engineers have successfully and repeatedly pumped liquid oxygen at flow rates required to supply the Lynx suborbital vehicle’s main engines, completing a key technical milestone. XCOR is now ready for main propulsion integration into the Lynx flight weight fuselage. For more details, please visit XCOR’s webpage.

Excalibur Almaz announced on May 27^th that it plans to launch spacecraft to space stations they will place in orbit around the moon. Using proven Russian legacy hardware, Excalibur Almaz plans to create a transport system between Earth, low-Earth orbit, and the Moon. EA is now seeking partners, investors, and customers for this next generation space transportation system. For more details, please visit Excalibur Almaz’s webpage.

Sierra Nevada Corporation announced on May 30^th the completion of several milestones for its Dream Chaser program and has successfully completed its captive carry flight test for their Dream Chaser Flight Vehicle on May 29^th, marking the successful beginning of a flight test program that will continue this summer. Captive carry testing provided SNC with an early opportunity to evaluate and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations in preparation for Approach and Landing tests scheduled for later this year. For more details, please visit Sierra Nevada’s webpage.

Virgin Galactic announced on May 30^th that its suborbital spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, along with its carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, have been granted an experimental launch permit from the Federal Aviation Administration. This launch permit will allow the vehicle’s manufacturer, Scaled Composites, to continue forward with the flight test program towards rocket-powered test. For more details, please visit Virgin Galactic’s webpage.

Moon Express announced on May 30^th that it has acquired Next Giant Leap, LLC in the first team acquisition event of the $30M Google Lunar X PRIZE. The NGL acquisition by Moon Express will leverage and carry forward the substantial work done by NGL and its corporate partners. For more details, please visit Moon Express’ webpage.

Space Exploration Technologies completed its second COTS demonstration flight on May 31^st with the successful splashdown of the Dragon capsule in the Pacific Ocean. The Dragon capsule launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket on May 22^nd and spent approximately six days berthed with the International Space Station, making it the first commercial vehicle in history to successfully attach to the ISS. Only four governments have achieved this challenging technical feat. For more details, please visit SpaceX’s webpage.

Blue Origin announced on May 31^st the successful completion of a System Requirements Review of its orbital Space Vehicle on May 15-16 which will help Blue Origin finalize its vehicle design. The review assessed the Space Vehicle’s ability to meet safety and mission requirements, and evaluated the technical readiness of the design, the concept of operations, the feasibility of project development plans, and planned verification activities. The review also included results from recently completed wind tunnel tests of the biconic shape, validating the vehicle’s aerodynamic design, stability and cross-range. For more details, please visit Blue Origin’s webpage.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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SARG is an advisory committee composed of experienced scientists, researchers and educators dedicated to furthering the research and education potential of commercial suborbital launch vehicles.

SARG’s goals include increasing awareness of commercial suborbital flights among scientists and educators and working with policymakers to ensure that payloads will have access to a new generation of research and education tools.

SARG is now recruiting Ambassadors to help achieve these goals by communicating the broad benefits of suborbital spaceflight through public appearances and talks.  SARG Ambassadors will be connected with opportunities to communicate in their respective surrounding areas and will be encouraged to reach out to local policy makers and government agencies with their important message.

SARG chairman, Dr. Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute added, “The SARG Ambassador program will be an extension of the SARG committee, increasing the outreach ability for research and education missions. SARG Ambassadors will allow us to increase our reach and our expertise base manifold.”

Alex Saltman, the Executive Director of CSF said, “Suborbital spaceflight will be important for science, research and education, and this program is an important part of SARG’s grassroots efforts. With the Ambassadors program, we will be able to link talented scientists, researchers and educators to those wishing to know more about research and education applications on commercial suborbital vehicles and to inform a broader audience about the exciting opportunities in suborbital science, using real-life and close-to-home examples.”

For more information about the SARG Ambassador Program, please visit the program’s webpage.

For more information about SARG, please visit the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s webpage.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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Suborbital spaceflight will bring unique opportunities for students to fly their experiments into space, inspiring an entire generation of innovators for years to come. Please watch the Suborbital Coalition web page to follow real world researchers and students as they design, build, test and fly their experiments on suborbital platforms. Groups from Purdue University and University of Central Florida will take you through their trials and triumphs and share their experience in a series of video and blog entries on the Suborbital Coalition webpage starting next month.

The Coalition will work with government agencies, nonprofits, national and educational organizations to find opportunities to do research more easily, quickly and cheaply than ever before. It will facilitate interaction between policymakers in Washington, researchers and educators on the emerging frontier of suborbital spaceflight. To learn more, visit the Suborbital Coalition webpage at www.suborbitalcoalition.org.

A number of companies will soon begin to offer routine, safe and affordable flights to space, and these flights are an unprecedented opportunity for scientists, students and the public to fly themselves and experiments they design to space. The Coalition will consist of suborbital companies, science and education organizations, and others who are committed in bringing this grand new adventure in space to people across the country.

The Coalition will spotlight scientists and engineers who are using suborbital spaceflight to study everything from the upper atmosphere to protein crystallization, and it will follow students as they prepare their own experiments that will fly into space.

The Coalition will work with government agencies, nonprofits, national organizations, and educational institutions to design programs to fulfill this industry’s potential. It will also facilitate interaction between policymakers in Washington, researchers and educators on the broad benefits of suborbital spaceflight. The Coalition will be officially launched in the next few months, but for more information or to get involved, email suborbitalcoalition@commercialspaceflight.org or visit our website at www.suborbitalcoalition.org to sign up to receive news and updates.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The CSF’s member companies – which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers and service providers – are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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