In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA veteran states the case for why a human push into deep space should be a sustained effort.
Human Space Exploration
The Space Review (6/26): NASA’s human exploration push beyond low Earth orbit should be sustained with international as well as commercial partners, writes Mark Craig, an engineer and retired NASA program manager. “Sustainability is a critical attribute of NASA human exploration because it results from the enterprise delivering sufficient return on investment and because it motivates program stability,” writes Craig.
How former astronaut Leroy Chiao turned his dream of space into a reality
Space.com (6/26): In his own words, retired NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao explains what the agency’s 12 new astronaut candidates will go through after they report for a two year training period in August. Chiao, who was chosen to train by NASA in 1990, launched three times on the space shuttle and once aboard a Russian Soyuz to serve as commander of the International Space Station during his 15 years as an astronaut. On June 7 NASA introduced seven men and five women selected to become the agency’s newest astronauts.
Space Science
Why no one under 20 has experienced a day without NASA at Mars
NASA JPL (6/22): In the 20 years since Pathfinder’s touchdown, eight other NASA landers and orbiters have arrived successfully, and not a day has passed without the United States having at least one active robot on Mars or in orbit around Mars.
2 million free eclipse glasses coming to U.S. libraries
Space.com (6/26): U.S. public libraries are to distribute two million pairs of protective eclipse eye glasses ahead of the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse that is to be visible to those along a 70 mile wide path from Oregon to South Carolina. The Space Science Institute, National Science Foundation and NASA are among the organizations that have joined to offer the protective glasses. Looking directly at the sun during the eclipse threatens to damage the eyeball.
A small country’s big vision about small objects
The Space Review (6/26): Friday, June 30, is asteroid day, a newly established annual reminder that planetary objects too small to be planets — asteroids and comets — that move close to the Earth’s orbital track around the sun, could pose an impact threat to life on Earth. Tiny Luxembourg is also casting the light on asteroids as a source of resources that could have value if commercially mined.
Other News
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin picks Huntsville, Alabama, as its ‘rocket city’ for BE-4 engine
GeekWire.com (6/26): Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin plan to construct a 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility at the Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Ala., if the company receives a contract from United Launch Alliance for the production of the BE-4 rocket engine. The BE-4 would power ULA’s next generation Vulcan rocket as well as Blue Origin’s New Glenn orbital launch vehicle.
MHI says H3 rocket development on track for 2020
Space News (6/26): Japan’s next generational launch vehicle, the H3, is on a development track to debut in 2020. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is in charge of production and of meeting the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s goal of a significant launch cost reduction.
American Indians in the space program to be honored on 2019 U.S. dollar coin
Collectspace.com (6/21): The U.S. Mint will pay tribute to the contributions made by American Indians to the U.S. space program with a new dollar coin set for release in 2019 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.