The Space Renaissance International (SRI) has held their inaugural congress live on Skype and included over 100 space development advocates from around the world.

Sadly, the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, which determines NASA’s policy, was passed by the senate today, heavily altered from Obama’s proposal in February in one key crucial area. Section 403 highlights the problem with the act--there will be no commercial crew development of space in 2011; commercial development of space is limited to cargo, but only in 2012:

by Peter Wainwright and Carol Pinchefsky

By Carol Pinchefsky

Sapporo Breweries, the Japanese beermaker established in 1876, is bringing beer into the 21st century. The new brew: beer made from barley descended from seeds that spent five months on the International Space Station ( ISS).

by Carol Pinchefsky

Space Future's Dr. Patrick Collins and Technologies of the Frontier's Adriano Autino have created an initiative to amend the European Union Constitution. As a draft, the wording of the initiative may change, but the meaning will remain: a plea to the E.U. nations to give its citizens the right to travel to space.

by Carol Pinchefsky

By Alan Breakstone and Patrick Collins

Amsterdam-based MirCorp and Russia's Energiya have signed a deal to build and launch a commercial space station. This tourist destination will replace Mir, the Russian space station that almost-but-not-quite accepted paying guests before it was nudged into the atmosphere.