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Today’s Deep Space Extra

January 15th, 2018

 

In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Latest NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel report examines efforts to launch first Commercial Crew and Orion missions. U.S. National security mission launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Chinese rocket booster falls near populated region. U.S. Senate panel meets Wednesday to further consider the nomination of Jim Bridenstine to become NASA administrator.

Human Space Exploration

NASA Safety Panel reiterates need for constancy of purpose, attention to human spaceflight systems

Spacepolicyonline.com (1/12): NASA’s independent Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), sounds a cautionary note in its annual report. NASA is at a “critical juncture” in efforts to re-establish U.S. human launch capabilities that fell away with the shuttle’s retirement in 2011, the panel reports. “(This is) a time when it is important to retain focus on program details; to maintain a sense of urgency while not giving in to schedule pressure; and to continue with program plans without neglecting, shortchanging or deleting planned content,” the panel cautions. The panel commended NASA for relaxing its Space Launch System (SLS), Orion flight schedules in order to carry out adequate pre-flight testing.

 

Space Science

Multi-planet system found through crowdsourcing

NASA/JPL (1/11): Exoplanet Explorers, a citizen science group, is credited with the discovery of a multi-planet star system using data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope, a first.  K2-138 has five planets, perhaps more.

Three minutes of microgravity is worth the cost of a small house, if you’re a scientist

Quartz (1/12): Scientists see real value in emerging suborbital flight services from companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. They expect to more confidently fly experiments and expose them to brief periods of microgravity, not necessarily fly as passengers themselves.

NASA’s TESS telescope should spot many ‘Star Wars’-like ‘Tatooines’

Forbes (1/13): NASA’s planet hunting Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, due to launch in March, is expected to detect solar systems in which planets orbit two rather than one star. The Star Wars film series made the prospect popular with the fictional Tatooine.

Pollution is endangering the future of astronomy

Science News (1/12): The darkness will remain, but increasing sources of pollution threaten to make it more difficult for Earth based astronomers. Those range from bright lights and space debris to radio frequency interference.

 

Other News

Commercial cargo craft splashes down in Pacific Ocean after Space Station resupply run

Spaceflightnow.com (1/13): Launched in mid-December, SpaceX’s 13th NASA contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station returned to Earth on Saturday with a 4,100 pound cargo that included an assortment of science and technology demonstrations that are being returned to researchers.

Classified NROL-47 mission launches from Vandenberg

Coalition Member in the News: United Launch Alliance

Spaceflightinsider.com (1/12): A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket with a U.S. national security payload launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Friday evening.

Orbital ATK technologies support ULA Delta IV launch of NROL-47 spacecraft

Coalition Member in the News: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK (1/12): Two graphite encased solid rocket motors supported the successful launch Friday evening of a U.S. national security payload from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The SRM’s were strapped to the Delta 4 launch vehicle.

Falling rocket booster explodes near a town in China

The Verge (1/12): The fallout from China’s latest Long March 3B rocket launch with two satellites was a spent solid rocket booster that crashed in the country’s southwest close to buildings and then burst into flames. Though no injuries were reported, authorities note the potential for casualties from toxic propellants as well as falling hardware.

China launches Earth-observing satellite on Long March 2D rocket

Space.com (1/14): An Earth observing satellite was placed in orbit on Saturday atop a Long March 2D launch vehicle, China’s third rocket launch within a week. Other launches lofted pairs of Earth observing and global navigation spacecraft.

 

Major Space Related Activities for the Week

Major space related activities for the week of January 15-19, 2018

Spacepolicyonline.com (1/14): The current U.S. budget continuing budget resolution expired January 19, or Friday. Further action is required to prevent a federal shutdown. The Senate Commerce Committee will meet Thursday for further deliberations on the nomination of Oklahoma congressman Jim Bridenstine to become NASA administrator. On Wednesday, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee will meet for an update on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Also on Thursday, the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a seminar entitled, “En-route to the Moon: Creating a More Resilient Civil Space Architecture.” NASA’s leadership figures prominently on the speaker’s list.

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