Broadcast 1385 (Special Edition)

Guests: Dr. Daniel Rasky and Bruce Thieman. Topics: CRASTE 2010, commercial space perspectives with the Air Force and NASA. We welcomed both our guests to discuss the upcoming CRASTE 2010 conference (www.usasymposium.com/craste/default.htm). Known as the Commercial and Government Responsive Access To Space Technology Exchange, this conference will be at NASA Ames from Oct. 25-28, 2010. As you will hear when listening to this show, both the Air Force and NASA are committed to commercial space development and our guests carefully and fully explained their different approaches. During our first segment, Dr. Rasky explained CRASTE and the focus on using cargo and the various programs over time that have addressed space commercialization and low cost space access. Mr. Thieman provided us with the Air Force and AFRL perspective and history and how the two organizations came together for the CRASTE series of conferences. We talked about reusability, first stages, suborbital and how these technologies play into our future. On the NASA side, we talked about both orbital and suborbital companies, projects, and the COTS program. The two groups realized that commercial markets go hand in foot with lowering the cost of space access. We talked about priorities for both NASA and the Air Force. Each guest listed the priorities from their perspective but the one thing in common for both the AF and NASA was the need to lower the cost of space access. A listener inquired about suborbital and orbital velocities and trajectories for point to point. As we were mostly talking about cargo, suborbital seems to be the focus for distances of 2-3,000 KM. Toward the end of this segment, we found out that part of SSP was a priority, specifically power beaming within space. Our guests said the jury was out on beaming power to Earth as a market. We started the second segment with some registration and citizenship requirements for attending CRASTE 2010. Another listener asked questions about point to point with high value cargo such as organ transplants and wondered if it would be more cost effective to work on making the organs last longer rather than the more costly approach of point to point travel. Don't miss this discussion. At one point, our guests said they were looking for a 2.5X cost reduction using the Falcon 9. Our guests mentioned the NASA CRuSR. Bruce mentioned the term "Turn Time" referring to being able to refurbish or reuse the vehicle in 24-48 hours. In addition, these groups seek airline like operations and want to be 70% operational for all weather. We talked about the SUSTAIN mission and compared human point to point with cargo point to point. We talked about time lines so listen to when we might see these technologies developed. At the end of this segment, our guests were asked a what if question should Ares and Constellation continue as such programs are seemingly at odds with the goals discussed by our guests today. We started the third and final segment for the show with a discussion of workforce and available jobs and the need for STEM workers. We learned that to work for DOD, there is a citizenship/Green Card requirement. Dan then talked about new markets and we focused on space biotech. He had much to say about this emerging commercial space business so don't miss the discussion. Other space programs were mentioned and we learned about competition and who is doing what and that the U.S. could be over taken if we don't continue investing in space. Operationally Responsive Space was part of our discussion, focusing on getting effective use out of small sats as compared to the larger ones. Toward the end of the show, I inquired about the status of the CRuSR program and Bigelow Aerospace. If you have a question or comment for either of our guests or both of them, please send it to me at drspace@thespaceshow.com and I will forward it on your behalf.