Walter Pincus informs us that the Pentagon has gotten a hundred million for the Falcon program (though I'm not sure why the headline calls it a "space defense program"):

The agency describes Falcon as a "a reusable Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV) capable of delivering 12,000 pounds of payload at a distance of 9,000 nautical miles from [the continental United States] in less than two hours."

Hypersonic speed is far greater than the speed of sound. The reusable vehicle being contemplated would "provide the country with significant capability to conduct responsive missions with quick turn-around sortie rates while providing aircraft-like operability and mission-recall capability," according to DARPA.

The vehicle would be launched into space on a rocket, fly on its own to a target, deliver its payload and return to Earth. In the short term, a small launch rocket is being developed as part of Falcon. It eventually would be able to boost the hypersonic vehicle into space. But in the interim, it will be used to launch small satellites within 48 hours' notice at a cost of less than $5 million a shot.

Does this mean renewed Air Force interest in AirLaunch and QuickReach, or does all of the launcher money go to SpaceX? And how are the funds apportioned between launcher and hypersonic vehicle?

Rand,

This article is so full of inaccuracies it's hard to know where to start. But the part of the DOD Appropriation Pincus is discussing is not the Falcon Small Launch Vehicle program, but rather the Hypersonics Technology Vehicle ("Task 2" in Falcon Program parlance). As part of restructuring Prompt Global Strike, the Congress defunded the Navy's Conventional Trident program and the Air Force's part of the HTV program (aka "Common Aero Vehicle) in part because they would confuse conventional and nuclear strike platforms. But DARPA is retaining their funding for the HTV part of Falcon.
Ironically, the launch vehicle that is planned for launching the first HTV is a former ICBM, namely a Minotaur. So they're turning an ex-ICBM back into an ICBM.

- Jim

Well, I guess I should have filed that one under "Media Criticism..."

Too bad it's not so.

they're turning an ex-ICBM back into an ICBM.

Swords, plowshares, swords... it's a good thing metal is ductile, though after a while I'd be worried about work-hardening :-)

Even if the Air Force /DARPA continued funding for FALCON task 2, instead of QuickReach, it might be the "reusable SLV" from the early Air Force trade studies (2003). This is the one originally given the ARES moniker prior to NASA claiming it for ESAS (Affordable REusable Space launcher). That study, endorsed by Pete Worden and kicked out at the same time as the original 8 FALCON task 1s were awarded, envisioned a winged, reusable Hybrid lower stage with a piggy back solid SLV (similar to the Minotaur upper stage). Ironically, none of the FALCON awardees had anything remotely similar. Quickreach was probably the closest.

I'm curious what happened to the other FALCON taskee, Microcosm. Haven't heard anything lately about their super-cheap expendable vehicle lately, although I'm pretty sure engine tests were continuing at Edwards through last year.

From the article:

Conferees added $100 million above the Bush administration's request for nearly $200 million to accelerate "space situational awareness." That is code for protecting U.S. satellites in space and being able to attack the enemy's satellites.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I've worked on SSA architecture for the past 5 years so I know a thing or two about the subject.

SSA is commonly defines as having a "sufficient level of knowledge about activities and potential activities in, from, or toward space. These include:

- Activities in space that impact or could impact land, sea, air, information services, and space activities; and

- Activities on land, sea, and air that impact or could impact space activities or information services."

But then, what do I expect from the MSM? If they can't get this stuff right, how can I believe they're getting anything else right?

Jim, the WaPo story is only a starting point. One blog applied its words about the Rapid Identification Detection and Reporting System ("Its first-generation system is scheduled for initial operation at the end of next year") to the HCV itself.

Now, that's fast-track development. Can you help me get an invitation to the roll-out -- if they haven't already been sent out, that is?

I'm curious what happened to the other FALCON taskee, Microcosm.

I thought funding for this had been eliminated two years ago.