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News briefs: March 9-10
Posted: Mon, Mar 11, 2002, 7:46 AM ET (1246 GMT)
- Two members of Congress are lobbying the House Armed Services Committee to return export licensing of spacecraft to the Commerce Department, Defense Daily reported Friday. California Congressmen Howard Berman and Dana Rohrabacher are asking the committee to make the change when it marks up the Export Administration Act. Licensing was moved to the State Department in 1999, slowing down the process and hurting the ability of US companies to work with overseas customers and partners.
- NASA has suspended work on a smaller spacesuit designed primarily for female astronauts, Discovery.com reported this weekend. NASA officials said they have suspended work on the smaller suit because of a lack of funds. At least seven female astronauts need a smaller spacesuit to be able to perform EVAs, and more than a dozen more who currently use larger suits could fit more comfortably into the smaller one. Because all ISS astronauts must be certified to perform spacewalks, this restriction could have an impact on gender-based biomedical studies on the station.
- Delaware North, the company that operates the Kennedy Space Center visitors center, is considering a multimillion dollar new attraction. The $20-30 million facility would likely offer a virtual reality ride of some sort, a concept supported by many people whose suggestions were published by Florida Today on Sunday. The attraction would likely open in 2004.
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