This week’s Washington Outlook: Virginia statesman praises Clinton; debate on reorganizing military space; and FAA probes Santa Monica’s airport closure plan.

Elon Musk outlines plan to build a transportation system to create a self-sustaining human “civilization” on Mars and make mankind a “multiplanet species.”

The transfer of propellant, the budget and the effects of long stays in space are still challenges facing SpaceX’s dazzling proposal. They are achievable, though, Dan Dunbacher, a Purdue University professor and former NASA official tells Aviation Week’s Frank Morring.

Artificial gravity for spacecraft had been largely abandoned as unnecessary, but it is making a comeback as a result of impaired vision issues.

More than 40% of cubesats launched since 2000 failed in their missions.

In this week’s Washington Outlook, American Airlines and others continue fight to overhaul the FAA; U.S. needs to move faster to counter Chinese and Russian space prowess; rethinking Syrian conflict; Boeing can sell aircraft to Iran.

United Launch Alliance is taking the first steps along an alternate path involving recovery of only the first-stage engines.

Reaction Engines is firming up plans to build a fighter engine-size ground demonstrator of its reusable hypersonic propulsion system.