Jim Muncy, Mind the Space Gap
- Reviews initial plans for CEV ("Orion") in 2005
- Admiral Steidle - proposed non-traditional approach using commercial suppliers of crew launch services.
- When Mike Griffin arrived, getting rid of the Gap became the top priority.
- Gap = no NASA crew capability between 2010-2014.
-- Hailed as a national security threat.
- Led to Gemini on Steroids. (Calling Apollo is inappropriate.)
- "Some doubted hysteria"
--- Had been understood for some time that Shuttle retirement would lead to a gap.
--- Isn't the goal affordable, sustainable spaceflight?
- Smartest guys in the room
--- Killed ISS research
--- Seen as NASA's one opportunity to develop a new transport system that could go to Moon and Mars.
--- Was not designed for affordable spacefaring. It was designed to go to Mars.
- Results:
--- Internal schedules show 2017 as probable first launch of a crew with Ares I/Orion
--- $44B to Initial operating condition (IOC)
--- Gap has grown by 3 years since VSE announced.
--- Growing by 1.3 years per year
- Not much chance for new exploration.
--- No chance NASA gets to the Moon by 2019.
--- Deep space exploration appropriate mission for NASA.
--- Lucky to get there by 2029 if ever.
--- It won't be affordable or sustainable.
--- NASA has betrayed a third presidential goal for human space flight.
- Despite current high spending in DC, little chance that lots more money thrown at NASA.
- NASA has failed by its own standard
--- It has not closed the gap, it has instead increased the gap from 2 to 6-7 years.
- With new administration, an opportunity for change.
--- fastest, surest, safest, etc argument is to use existing vehicles, e.g. EELVs
- The Campaign:
--- Time to declare Ares A and ESAS a failure
--- NASA should use stimulus funds for COTS D
--- Launch Orion on EELV
--- Pursue "cheapest" medium-heavy option for exploration missions and intermodal demos
--- Orion needs massive LAS to get away as fast as possible from the solid rocket booster.
--- When that mass included, arguments about lack of EELV payload capability are not viable.
--- NASA should get back into exploration.
Q&A:
- Asking people to get involved with the Foundation and push this campaign.
- Believes this administration really wants to change NASA direction.
- Made a mistake in initially backing Griffin.
- Isakowitz selection would have been great but unfortunately blocked.
- Support for status quo is weak.
- Not yet a policy guideline on SFF website.
===

Frank Marco Günzel, Peer Gehrmann, Project Enterprise
- Overview of the project. Swiss - German collaboration.
- Shows video available on their homepage.
- Black Sky pathfinder vehicle would be on scale of Lynx
- Initially planned to use 3km long runway at Magdeburg in East Germany.
- May use Peenemünde airfield as well.
- Using radio controlled models this year. Test control and stabilization systems.
- Hard part is to get funding.
- Regulatory system, certification process, etc. are difficult to deal with.
- Calling vehicle experimental allows for some room
- Expect rides on Black Sky to cost Euro 30k. Max alt is 45km.
- Shows video of engine tests at SPL.
Q&A:
- Don't know how long or how expensive the certification process would be.
- No passengers when under experimental operation.
===

Paul Breed and son, Ben Brockert, John Carmack, Dave Masten, Keith Stormo, Bob Steinke, Scott Zeeb, Todd Squires, Bob Noteboom, Allen Newcomb, Lunar Lander Challenge panel
- Steinke:
--- Set out to avoid R&D.
--- General Kinetics engine not really available. Would have been an R&D project
- Carmack:
--- Lightweight shouldn't be the primary issue, especially early on. Optimize later.
--- 4 engines like Masten was just too hard.
--- Too many things can go wrong. Take forever to start flying. Always testing.
- Dave Masten - Believe testing can be finite. Limit to four engines.
- Carmack - Advice about tether operations. Avoiding damage on a bad day.
- Breed:
--- Hardware is just half of the problem.
--- Software needed for control system is major project.
--- Develop an analog to test it.
- Survey of LLC plans:
-- Bonnova - will to compete in Level I and II this year
-- Steinke - not this year
-- TrueZer0 - not this year
-- Zeeb - Ask in a couple of months. Depends on funding.
-- Masten - will depend on status of vehicle.
-- Carmack:
-- Make attempt soon after window opens. Will go after Level II. Not going after Level I, second place.
-- Remember that nobody has Level I wrapped up. Just as with Armadillo in 2006-2007, problems can arise that prevent the favorite from winning.
- Armadillo had done many flights prior to competition yet still didn't win in those years.
- Breed - expect to go after Level I with Blue Ball. Not sure if they can have a Level II vehicle ready.
- Carmack:
-- Talks about materials
-- Graphite gave problems at high pressure
-- Newcomb said they have been able to use it OK so far.
- Breed - press and judges are considered Involved group, not uninvolved.
- Caramack - Landing gear is not such a big issue. Bottom of tank is strongest element on the vehicle.
- Zeeb - spare vehicles are crucial.
- Steve Landeene in audience says they will try to put in some pads at Spaceport America prior to window opening.
- Plans after competition:
-- Newcomb - would like to continue building rockets if there is a market
-- Zeeb - work with universities on some projects together
-- Carmack - lots of plans of all sorts. Discussions with funding partners. If win Level II, the purse will fund some interesting work regardless of partnerships. Turned a corner into becoming a real company. In something this, need to expect to go for the long term. Didn't think it would take 8 years to get to this point.
-- Brockert - all plans end in going to space.
-- Breed - long term goal is to reach breakeven, which would allow long term development.
- Carmack: LLC has been a super success for NASA. Really encouraged involvement of a lot of people and more groups that expected. Trained many people in rocket building.
- Carmack - with full time employees now, he is actually spending less time on Armadillo than before.
- Breed - orbiting a 100g payload would be the ultimate success. Bring space access to the common man.
- Brockert - Seeing videos as a kid of DC-X hovering was the coolest thing he'd seen and is amazed he is now working on such a project.
- Breed - At last year's LLC event, it was speculated that flights would take place at home fields in 2009 but not officially stated yet.
===

Henry Vanderbilt wraps up another Space Access Society meeting.