Coalition readers in the Denver, Colorado area, take note of When Tang Met Laika, a performing arts look at post-Cold-War era, Russian-American collaboration in space.

The play asks the question, how do you live your life after living in space?

Playwright Rogelio Martinez explores the 1990's Cold War thaw as two individuals find in space an interesting brew: love, Tang the breakfast drink, a lost dog. and a spirit named Yuri.

The play is being performed January 22 - February 27 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in Denver, Colorado. It was commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre Company and Magic Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation New Science & Technology Plays Initiative, with additional support from the United Launch Alliance and Lockheed Martin.

To help the actors appreciate the inner and outer workings of space exploration, they were recently treated with a briefing from former NASA astronaut, Bruce McCandless - the first human to fly untethered in space making use of a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU).

Take a view of the McCandless presentation to the actors, following a quick TV ad.

Go to:

http://cbs4denver.com/video/?id=66061@kcnc.dayport.com

Educators Note: A teacher's guide with lots of space information, both related to the performance as well as future space activities, can be found here:

http://www.denvercenter.org/Libraries/When_Tang_Met_Laika_Documents/When_Tang_Met_Laika_Study_Guide.sflb.ashx?download=true

For more information on this innovative play, go to:

http://www.denvercenter.org/shows-and-events/Shows/whentangmetlaika/about.aspx

By Leonard David

Today's successful flight test of the Ares 1-X rocket is an important milestone in America's space program. It demonstrates the launch and control capabilities of a next-generation vehicle that lays the foundation for NASA's continuing exploration of space, in collaboration with its international partners. The technology and systems in the Ares 1-X vehicle apply to any future heavy-lift rocket which will play a key role in future space missions. We congratulate NASA and everyone involved in today's successful test flight.

Ball Aerospace-built WorldView-2 Satellite Successfully Launched

October 8, 2009

BOULDER, Colo., October 8, 2009 - The Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. WorldView-2 remote-sensing satellite designed and built for DigitalGlobe successfully launched today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 11:51 a.m. PDT on board a Boeing Delta II rocket.

WorldView-2 joins its sister satellites built by Ball Aerospace: WorldView-1 launched in 2007, and QuickBird launched in 2001. The satellite trio is expected to bring unsurpassed agility, capacity, accuracy and spectral diversity to commercial earth imaging.

"The successful launch of WorldView-2 marks a new milestone for the collection of imagery by these highly sophisticated satellites," said President and CEO of Ball Aerospace David L. Taylor.

WorldView-2 and WorldView-1 are the only commercial satellites integrated with control moment gyroscopes (CMGs). These high-performance CMGs provide acceleration up to 10X that of other attitude control actuators and their agility improve both maneuvering and targeting capability. The CMGs afford both satellites the flexibility to capture more imagery than previously possible.

The Ball Commercial Platform 5000 spacecraft, utilized for both the WorldView-1 and Worldview-2, is designed to handle both next-generation optical and synthetic aperture radar remote sensing payloads. The high-performance BCP 5000 has a design life of more than seven years, and provides a platform with increased power, agility, flexibility, transmission capability and data storage. In addition to manufacture of the satellite bus, Ball Aerospace integrated the WorldView-2 remote sensing instrument provided by ITT and performed all system testing.

DigitalGlobe is a leading provider of commercial high-resolution, world imagery products and services. The launch of WorldView-2 will vastly improve DigitalGlobe's ability to collect and maintain up-to-date imagery in the areas of greatest interest to its clients.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions of important national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2008 sales of approximately $7.6 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available at our Web site and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including our beverage can end project; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the current global credit squeeze and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including in respect of chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

The 2009 Space Elevator Conference will be held from August 13th through August 16th.

The up and up locale for the gathering of space elevator advocates is at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond, Washington. 
Roadmap workshops will be held, as well as in-depth presentations on the state of the various technologies necessary to build a Space Elevator.

For those not up on the Space Elevator concept, it’s a radical way to access space less expensively than possible with chemical rocket technology. The Space Elevator would use a carbon nanotube ribbon that stretches from the surface of the Earth to a counterweight in space. What’s envisioned is use of “climbers” to ascend the ribbon, lifting cargo and passengers to Earth orbits and launching spacecraft to distant planets.

As part of the meeting, the Strong Tether Competition is one of several NASA Centennial Challenges. In this challenge, a prize purse of $2 million dollars is on the line.

Indeed, the single most difficult task in building the Space Elevator is achieving the required tether strength-to-weight ratio -- in other words, developing a material that is both strong enough and light enough to support the 60,000 mile long tether.

To keep an eye on the 2009 Space Elevator gathering, check out:

http://www.spaceelevatorconference.org/

By Leonard David

Today, people around the world are celebrating one of the greatest triumphs of American exploration - the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. I was in Houston interviewing with NASA for a spot in the astronaut corps in 1969 when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the lunar surface. It was amazing to be so close to the action, but the moment was bittersweet. Even as we did something that had never been done before, we knew we wouldn't be doing it much longer. The program was winding down because of budget constraints.

The Apollo 11 anniversary this year and the scheduled end of the Shuttle program next year bring to mind many of the same conflicting emotions we felt behind the scenes in 1969. A smart, young workforce had fueled the race to the moon. When Apollo missions ended in 1972, so too did thousands of jobs. Our brightest and most committed were unemployed.

The current plan calls for a gap of several years between the end of the Shuttle program and the first flight of the Constellation program, NASA's new initiative to return to the moon and beyond. A lengthy gap could mean another "brain drain" as talented, skilled contractors and NASA employees are forced to take their institutional knowledge elsewhere. That's where we found ourselves when we started the Shuttle program - forced to train a new workforce with no prior experience. As one of the few people in the world who has piloted a never-before-flown spacecraft, I'm here to tell you - you want experienced engineers and technicians on your team.

NASA and industry leaders have been working hard to keep top talent, ensuring the current design of the Constellation program takes advantage of people already working on Shuttle. But the leadership is limited by budgetary and policy guidelines.

Based on the long-term view of President Obama's support for America's space exploration program, my fervent hope is that he will both minimize the gap and build on JFK's vision, returning America to its greatness as a truly space-faring nation.

The selection of Charles Bolden, a former shuttle commander, is a very positive step toward that goal. He understands the agency history and the challenges ahead. Also, the Obama administration recently announced an independent, comprehensive analysis of the existing Shuttle-to-Constellation plan. The review offers a chance to consider adjustments that could head off the loss of talented personnel, as well as minimize devastating economic effects.

While preparing for the first Shuttle mission at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the 1970s, I witnessed firsthand the economic devastation of the aerospace industry downturn. The Space Coast, Houston and other cities that thrived on aerospace were hit hard. Once again, we face the prospect of thousands of layoffs and the residual economic blow to aerospace communities around the country. Delaying key decisions about the future of the program will magnify the job losses.

Critics may question the benefits of a strong space program, but America's space industry is a critical component of both our economy and our legacy of exploration. Dr. Wernher von Braun developed the Saturn V rocket that propelled Apollo to the moon and is widely considered the greatest rocket scientist in history. He was quick to answer the critics of his day with the simple facts:

"The NASA budget is not being spent on the moon," he said. "It is being spent right here on Earth. It provides new jobs, new products, new processes, new companies and whole new industries."

The gap between the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs was devastating to the aerospace industry. The six-year gap cost America more than 400,000 jobs. Today, we face a similar once-in-a-generation decision. Adequate support of the Constellation program from the country and Washington is crucial to minimize the gap, retain expertise and inspire a love of science, technology and exploration in a new generation.


Bob Crippen is a former astronaut who served as pilot of the first space shuttle mission (STS-1); commander of three other space shuttle missions (STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G); former director of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and former president of Thiokol Propulsion. He is a current member of the Coalition for Space Exploration Board of Advisors.

I'm very pleased to learn that my good friend Charlie Bolden has been confirmed as NASA Administrator. Under his capable leadership, as well as that of NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, the space agency now has strong and experienced leadership.

But with that said, there is a need for another ingredient to guide NASA's future - unwavering support by President Obama and Congress. As the Coalition for Space Exploration has set through its continuous research initiatives, Americans value their space program, many not realizing that NASA does so much with so little.

Without doubt there are challenges ahead for NASA - even as we look back this month at the Apollo 11 mission that placed the first footprints on the Moon back in July 1969. Now 40 years later, NASA is at a threshold, a critical juncture if you will - a need to step once again into the future.

We need to address the human spaceflight gap between the Space Shuttle's retirement and the start of the Constellation program. Furthermore, we must deal with the question of how best to capitalize on the sizeable investment this country has made in the International Space Station.

Perhaps, most important, how does this country build upon the overall foundation of space leadership that NASA has provided since its creation in 1958 - to continue on the pathway of exploration and discovery?

I'm hopeful that one statistic sticks in everyone's mind regarding this nation's space enterprise. That is with less than 1% of the annual federal budget, NASA has provided 8% of all scientific discoveries in the past 30 years.

NASA does impact our daily lives, from technology transfer of goods and services into the commercial marketplace to Earth observations and monitoring climate change to protect the planet... as well as searching for new horizons beyond our globe.

It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. As new leadership takes the helm of NASA, this is the moment to reassert the country's prowess in space - to provide cutting-edge jobs and new products as well as spark enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math in a new generation of space pioneers.

By Fred Gregory

Fred Gregory is on the Board of Advisors for the Coalition for Space Exploration. During his 31 year career at NASA, he flew three space shuttle missions between 1985-1991. Gregory later served at NASA Headquarters as Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, an Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight and NASA Deputy Administrator before leaving NASA in October 2005.

As the 40th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing approaches, "where were you?" stories will inevitably become a prime water cooler topic, at least for those in their mid-40s and older.

So we ask, where were you when Neil Armstrong, followed by Buzz Aldrin, took mankind's first steps on the moon on July 20, 1969? At home, in your car, overseas, or did you miss it at work?

Feel free to leave your Apollo 11 stories below, and/or share them with reporter Jennifer Latson at jennifer.latson@chron.com for her story in the Houston Chronicle's anniversary package. She's also reachable on the metro desk at 713-362-7491.