National Security Space Launch

The United States Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, formerly known as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, was first established in 1994 by President William J. Clinton’s National Space Transportation Policy. The policy assigned the responsibility for expendable launch vehicles to the Department of Defense (DoD), with the goals of lowering launch costs and ensuring national security access to space. As such, the United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) started the EELV program to acquire more affordable and reliable launch capability for valuable U.S. military satellites, such as national reconnaissance satellites that cost billions per satellite. In March 2019, the program name was changed from EELV to NSSL, which reflected several important features: 1.) The emphasis on “assured access to space,” 2.) transition from the Russian-made RD-180 rocket engine used on the Atlas V to a US-sourced engine (now scheduled to be complete by 2022), 3.) adaptation to manifest changes (such as enabling satellite swaps and return of manifest to normal operations both within 12 months of a need or an anomaly), and 4.) potential use of reusable launch vehicles. As of August 2019, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have all submitted proposals. From these, the U.S. Air Force will be selecting two companies to fulfill approximately 34 launches over a period of five years, beginning in 2022. This paper will therefore first examine the objectives for the NSSL as presented in the 2017 National Security Strategy, Fiscal Year 2019, Fiscal Year 2020, and Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA), and National Presidential Directive No. 40. The paper will then identify areas of potential weakness and gaps that exist in space launch programs as a whole and explore the security implications that impact the NSSL specifically. Finally, the paper will examine how the trajectory of the NSSL program could be adjusted in order to facilitate a smooth transition into new launch vehicles, while maintaining mission success, minimizing national security vulnerabilities, and clarifying the defense acquisition process.No embargoAcademic Major: EnglishAcademic Major: International Studie

This is NASA

The organization, operations, functions, and objectives of NASA are outlined. Data include manned space flights, satellite weather observations, orbiting radio relays, and new views of the earth and beyond the earth as observed by satellites. Details of NASA's work in international programs, educational training programs, and adopting space technology to earth uses are also given

This is NASA

Mission, facilities, and projects of NAS

Aerospace bibliography, fifth edition

Bibliography of references, periodicals, and educational materials related to space fligh

Student Education During The REXUS/BEXUS Projects

The new DLR Institute of Space Systems in Bremen has established a project office to support and manage German student activities related to the preparation of the BEXUS and REXUS (Balloon/Rocket Experiments for University Students) flights. This paper primarily describes the student mentoring and the educational activities undertaken by DLR and SSC with the aim of encouraging and promoting student knowledge throughout the first year of the REXUS/BEXUS student programme

The development of a post-test diagnostic system for rocket engines

An effort was undertaken by NASA to develop an automated post-test, post-flight diagnostic system for rocket engines. The automated system is designed to be generic and to automate the rocket engine data review process. A modular, distributed architecture with a generic software core was chosen to meet the design requirements. The diagnostic system is initially being applied to the Space Shuttle Main Engine data review process. The system modules currently under development are the session/message manager, and portions of the applications section, the component analysis section, and the intelligent knowledge server. An overview is presented of a rocket engine data review process, the design requirements and guidelines, the architecture and modules, and the projected benefits of the automated diagnostic system

Underwater Hacker Missile Wars: A Cryptography and Engineering Contest

For a recent student conference, the authors developed a day-long design problem and competition suitable for engineering, mathematics and science undergraduates. The competition included a cryptography problem, for which a workshop was run during the conference. This paper describes the competition, focusing on the cryptography problem and the workshop. Notes from the workshop and code for the computer programs are made available via the Internet. The results of a personal self-evaluation (PSE) are described.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, uses amsrefs.sty v2.0 and cryptologiabib.sty (included); to appear in Cryptologi

Rocketing restoration : enabling the upscaling of ecological restoration in the Anthropocene

In the 25 years during which the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) has overseen the publication of Restoration Ecology, the field has witnessed conceptual and practical advances. These have become necessary due to the scale of environmental change wrought by the increasing global human population, and associated demands for food, fiber, energy, and water. As we look to the future, and attempt to fulfill global restoration commitments and meet sustainable development goals, there is a need to reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss through upscaling ecological restoration. Here, we argue that this upscaling requires an expanded vision for restoration that explicitly accounts for people and nature. This expansion can assess success in a future-focused way and as improvements relative to a degraded socio-ecological system. We suggest that upscaling requires addressing governance, legal and ethical challenges, investing in technological and educational capacity building, bolstering the practical science necessary for restoration, encouraging adoptable packages to ensure livelihoods of local stakeholders, and promoting investment opportunities for local actors and industry. Providing SER embraces this socio-ecological vision, it is ideally placed to aid the achievement of goals and remain globally relevant. SER needs to harness and coordinate three sources of potential energy (global political commitments, the green economy, and local community engagement) to rocket restoration into the Anthropocene. With principles that can embrace flexibility and context-dependency in minimum restoration standards, SER has the potential to guide socio-ecological restoration and help realize the ultimate goal of a sustainable Earth

This Is NASA

Review of NASA programs including research facilities and manned space fligh