NASA and the Air Force Research Lab are working together to develop a technology roadmap for the commercial reusable launch vehicle industry, NASA announced last week. The effort is to officially kick off next week in Dayton, Ohio, home to AFRL, during the Commercial and Government Responsive Access to Space Technology Exchange 2009. NASA and AFRL officials expect to meet with industry representatives to discuss industry’s long-range RLV plans. Lori Garver, deputy administrator at NASA headquarters, said, “There is a natural evolutionary path from today’s emerging commercial suborbital RLV industry to growing and developing the capability to provide low-cost, frequent, and reliable access to low Earth orbit.”
Members of Congress from both parties expressed frustration and dismay over the abrupt and still-unexplained firing last month of Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh from his dual role as head of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency.