In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Senate vote on Jim Bridenstine’s nomination to become NASA administrator expected today. NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) successfully launched Wednesday evening.
Human Space Exploration
Bridenstine nomination squeaks through cloture after Flake changes his vote – update
Spacepolicyonline.com (4/18): U.S. Senate proceedings on Wednesday set the stage for a vote on President Trump’s nomination of Jim Bridenstine, an Oklahoma congressman, to become NASA administrator. A vote is set for today at 1:45 p.m., EDT, and a close vote is anticipated, according to the report. Wednesday’s proceedings featured a 50-48 vote in favor of proceeding with the nomination. U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, of Arizona, changed his vote from “no” to “yes” breaking a 49-49 deadlock on the vote allowing the process to proceed. Once opposed, Florida U.S. senator Marco Rubio also voted in favor of proceeding.
Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin
Business Wire (4/17): Lockheed Martin, NASA’s prime contractor for the Orion crew capsule, is partnering with two companies to provide additive manufacturing technologies for the assembly of Orion components. The second joint test flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion, Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2), is to take astronauts into orbit around the moon. The EM-2 flight hardware is to make use of more than 100 3-D production printed parts.
Space Science
NASA’s TESS satellite launches to seek out new alien worlds
Space.com (4/18): NASA’s planet hunting Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is off to the start of a multi-year mission searching the Milky Way for planets around the nearest stars. TESS launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, at 6:51 p.m., EDT. Within an hour, the spacecraft had separated from the second stage of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle, then successfully deployed both solar arrays. A two month commissioning period is planned.
Other News
Orbital ATK names next generation rocket that could launch from Kennedy Space Center
Coalition Member in the News – Orbital ATK
Orlando Sentinel (4/18): Orbital ATK, one of the nation’s largest launch services providers, has a new rocket coming, OmegA, which will compete with United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX rockets for U.S. national security mission launches under the U.S. Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. An announcement is anticipated late this year. OmegA could be launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B.
Op-ed | In space, no one is powerful enough to boldly go alone
Space News (4/18): Earth observations, satellite navigation and space based astrophysics are just three areas that have been enriched by cooperation between the U.S. and Europe in space. Europe’s Copernicus satellite provided especially valuable hurricane data during the 2017’s Harvey and Irma storms along the U.S. Gulf Coast, writes Elbieta Biekowska, the European Union Commissioner for Internal Market and Industry.
Sierra Nevada weighing options for launching future Dream Chaser missions
Coalition Members in the News – Orbital ATK and United Launch Alliance
Space News (4/18); In January 2016, Sierra Nevada and its Dream Chaser reusable spacecraft joined Orbital ATK and SpaceX as cargo providers for the International Space Station. Sierra selected United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas 5 for its first launch vehicle and a mission planned for late 2020. However, Sierra will explore other options for launch vehicles for future missions.
Chinese space shuttle flights planned for 2030
Nikkei Asian Review (4/18): Chinese aerospace looks to 2030 for test flights of a reusable space shuttle system that would include an aircraft launch vehicle with a winged spacecraft. The combination would feature runway take offs and landings. China would like to outperform the U.S. reusable X-37, whose secretive missions start with a traditional rocket launch and end with a runway landing.
Proton-M launches Blagovest 12L satellite for Russian Aerospace Forces
Spaceflightinsider.com (4/18): The Russian military communications satellite was launched atop a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome late Wednesday.
Rocket Lab postpones first commercial launch after issue during fueling test
Spaceflightnow.com (4/17): Startup Rocket Lab is delaying the first commercial launch of its Electron rocket, a launch vehicle aimed at the emerging small satellite market, in response to a launch pad fueling test. The company is headquartered in southern California but founded in New Zealand, which is home to its launch complex. The inaugural commercial launch was planned for late April.