In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA pursues new thinking, innovation and diversity as it prepares for the human exploration of Mars and a permanent deep space presence.

Human Deep Space Exploration

NASA officials, astronauts outline NASA’s crewed Mars efforts at NASA Glenn event
Spaceflight Insider (5/30): NASA’s goal of reaching Mars with human explorers requires new thinking, innovation and diversity, according to Stephen Jurczyk, the agency’s Associate Administrator for Space Technology.  Jurczyk joined astronauts and others from NASA as well as representatives from commerce, higher education and area governments from the U.S. Midwest for Glenn Research Center Technology Day.

Kennedy’s vision for NASA inspired greatness, then stagnation
Ars Technica (5/30): As NASA prepares to resume the human exploration of deep space it initiated with the Apollo program, policymakers and supporters intend to do so permanently.

Space Science

After snags, BEAM space module expands to its full volume like a bag of popcorn
GeekWire (5/28): Launched in a compressed package to the International Space Station in mid- April as an experimental habitat for astronauts on future deep space missions, the Bigelow Expandable Activities Module (BEAM) was fully extended to the volume of a small bedroom on Saturday during an eight hour operation. The first attempt at extension on May 26 was halted as pressures inside BEAM grew too high. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams supervised from the station’s Tranquility module. The module’s response to temperature swings, radiation and the orbital debris environment will be monitored for two years.

James Webb Space Telescope now fully equipped with science instruments
Spaceflight Insider (5/29): The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been successfully equipped with its four science instruments, while undergoing pre-launch preparations at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Maryland. The JWST is to launch in late 2018 as the designated successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Ingredients for life spotted on comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko
Physics World (5/30): Scientists associated with the European Space Agency’s long running Rosetta mission to the comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko have identified the presence of glycine, an amino acid and ingredient in proteins. The finding described in Science Advances suggests that comets were instrumental in delivering the ingredients for biological processes throughout the solar system.

Ukrainian Mars hopper wins People’s Choice award in NASA challenge
Ukraine Today (5/27): The award goes to a team from Kiev who propose a “hopper,” a winged robotic explorer fueled by frozen carbon dioxide from the Martian polar regions and a nuclear electrical power source.

China to probe the Moon’s North and South Poles in 2017
Time (5/29): After launching sample return missions to the moon’s North and South Poles late next year, China intends to launch a lander to the moon’s far side in 2018. Beijing’s first lunar surface rover landed in 2013. The latest planning details were provided by China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

New Horizons provides the best close-up of Pluto some of us might ever see
GeekWire (5/27): NASA’s New Horizons mission science team has compiled the best of the high resolution images from the spacecraft as it carried out the first flyby of Pluto on July 14, 2015. “This new image product is just magnetic,” said Alan Stern, who serves as New Horizons’ principal investigator.

A few things I learned while attempting to “skate” in (simulated) zero gravity
Sports Illustrated (5/29): Famous skate boarder Tony Hawk explains that his sport works in simulated Martian or lunar gravity but not so well in microgravity.

Low Earth Orbit

Yearlong-mission astronaut Scott Kelly honored at NYC’s fleet week
Space.com (5/29): Scott Kelly, who returned to Earth after a U.S. record setting 340 days in orbit on Mar. 1 was honored aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City with the 21st Century Pioneer Award. Kelly has since retired from the space agency. Researchers are using the data on Kelly’s health in part to get a better idea of what will happen to astronauts on longer trips to Mars.

Biologist Kate Rubins’ big dream takes her to the Space Station
Science News (5/30): NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will take her molecular biology skills to space as she lifts off June 24 for the International Space Station with Russian and Japanese crewmates. The Napa, Calif., native is a Space Camp graduate. While in Earth orbit, Rubins will supervise or participate in dozens of experiments.

Commercial to Low Earth Orbit

Source: Irregularity occurred as Soyuz upper stage was orbiting Glonass satellite
TASS, of Russia (5/30): The third stage of the Soyuz-2.1b rocket that delivered a Russian Glonass global navigations satellite to orbit early Sunday experienced a difficulty that caused the engine to fire longer than planned. The spacecraft was successfully deployed.

China launches Ziyuan-3 remote sensing satellite and Argentina’s Aleph-1
Global Times (5/30): Early Monday, China launched the second in its series of Ziyuan-3 high resolution imaging satellites along with a pair of small Argentinian satellites, using a Long March 4B rocket.

Thaicom 8 successfully launched
The Nation, of Thailand (5/28): The nation’s latest Ku band telecommunications satellite for high definition broadcast services was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., atop at Falcon 9 rocket late Friday. The rocket’s first stage descended to a landing.

Major Space Related Activities for the Week

Major space related activities for the week of May 30-June 4, 2016
Spacepolicyonline.com (5/29): Space planning and policy meetings are planned in Washington and in several European cities this week. The U.S. House and Senate are not scheduled to be in session this week.