Sep 29 2000
From The Space Library
NASA announced its agreement with Lockheed Martin on a plan for the X-33 space plane program. The agreed plan included aluminum fuel tanks for hydrogen fuel, a revised payment schedule, and a target launch date in 2003, contingent on Lockheed Martin's winning additional funding under the Space Launch Initiative for completing the project. NASA had funded the project through March 2001. The restructured plan focused on "providing milestone payments" to Lockheed Martin's team, following the completion of tests and the delivery of hardware and software systems this year. The plan also gave greater emphasis to mission safety, quality, and mission success. Arthur G. Stephenson, Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, pointed out that, despite setbacks, the program's successes had included the creation of technology applicable to the space program and to the commercial aircraft industry, such as a revolutionary new rocket engine; a robust, reusable, metallic thermal-protection system; and software and sensors that automatically determine and predict failures and errors before they affect the flight.
NASA announced the restructuring of the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications (OLSMA), part of the Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprise (HEDS). OLSMA, renamed the Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR), would become a separate enterprise focusing on scientific research, working closely with BEDS to facilitate long-term exploration of space. The OBPR would comprise five divisions: the Physical Sciences Division, the Fundamental Space Biology Division, the Biomedical and Human Support Research Division, the Division of Research Integration, and the Division of Policy and Program Integration. NASA named Kathie L. Olsen as Acting Associate Administrator, to return to her position as Chief Scientist after NASA had filled the position permanently!
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