In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA intends to spend a month assessing the risks and benefits of adding two astronauts to the first test launch of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule. The change to Exploration Mission-1 could offer an advantage if it can launch before the end of 2019, according to Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for human exploration and operations.
Human Deep Space Exploration
NASA studying whether to add astronauts to first launch of new super booster
Spaceflightnow.com/CBS News (2/24): Astronauts could travel around the Earth’s moon in 2019 as participants in the first joint test flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew exploration capsule, according to Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Directorate. The mission, called Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), is currently planned for late 2018 without crew. Earlier this month, NASA’s Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot directed the space agency to evaluate the addition of astronauts. At the time, astronauts were not scheduled to launch on an SLS/Orion test flight around the moon until 2021 and possibly not until the spring of 2023. NASA will spend about a month assessing the risks and benefits of launching two astronauts aboard EM-1.
NASA: No preconceived decision about putting crew on first SLS launch
Spacepolicyonline.com (2/24): In a news briefing on Friday, NASA’s Bill Gerstenmaier and Bill Hill said they will assess the risks as well as the benefits of adding astronauts to the first test flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule without a favored outcome. The flight, designated Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), is currently scheduled for late 2018. The change will require a yet to be estimated launch delay and more funding. If astronauts cannot be added to EM-1 until later than 2019, NASA may stick with its current strategy: an uncrewed EM-1 launch in late 2018 and a crewed EM-2 in the 2021 to 2023 timeframe, according to Gerstenmaier, the Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, and his Deputy Hill.
Trump’s departing NASA liaison urges careful vetting of crewed test flight idea
Space.com (2/26): Greg Autry, a University of Southern California assistant professor of entrepreneurship and until recently the Trump Administration’s NASA liaison, backs consideration of a proposal to add astronauts to the first joint test flight of the NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) exploration rocket and Orion crew capsule. “While nobody wants to do anything unduly dangerous, SLS/Orion must be produced and operated as cost effectively as possible and demonstrate tangible achievements to the public in order to avoid the fate of Constellation,” Greg Autry, told Space.com. The advance would send two astronauts on SLS/Orion around the moon by the end of 2019, about two years sooner than previous planning. Constellation, return to the moon’s surface proposed by the George W. Bush administration, was cancelled by former President Obama.
NASA to turn over Apollo 11 moon rock bag to auction winner, per court order
Collectspace.com (2/25): A U.S. district judge ruled Friday that NASA must turnover a moon rock collection bag from the historic Apollo 11 mission to an Illinois woman, who purchased the bag at auction in 2015. The buyer sent the bag to NASA’s Johnson Space Center for inspection. NASA reclaimed the artifact, initiating a legal battle.
Space Science
Andy Weir’s best seller `The Martian’ gets a classroom-friendly makeover
New York Times (2/24): Writer Andy Weir agrees to “clean up” some of the language in his popular novel The Martian, the story of an astronaut stranded on Mars but determined to survive. The editing has changed the science-based book into an inspiring source of classroom instruction.
There’s going to be a traffic jam at Mars in 2021
Popular Mechanics (2/24): The Earth and Mars line up favorably in July/August 2021 for the launch of missions to the red planet. The missions lining up for an opportunity to land on or maneuver into orbit around the neighboring planet include NASA’s Mars 2020 Rover. The NASA rover will collect and cache samples of Martian soil and rock for eventual return to Earth. SpaceX’s Red Dragon is the lineup as well as European/Russian, Chinese and United Emirates missions.
What would life be like on the TRAPPIST-1 planets?
Space.com (2/24): A glance into the sky from one of TRAPPIST-1’s seven rocky planets would offer an eye full. One full year would last a matter of several days.
Website funded by NASA enables citizens to search for objects beyond Neptune
Spaceflight Insider (2/26): The site enables “everyday people” to search space beyond Neptune imaged by NASA’s Neowise space observatory, including the mysterious Planet 9 and small brown dwarf stars.
Low Earth Orbit
Auto-destruct system seen as a key to ramping up launch tempos
Spaceflightnow.com (2/25): SpaceX’s latest Falcon 9 launch from Florida’s Space Coast afforded the U.S. Air Force’s Eastern Range an opportunity to demonstrate an automated destruct system. The automated system would replace a network of ground based tracking equipment and personnel trained to intervene with manual destruct commands if an ascending rocket threatens to stray over a populated area. The change is intended to speed up mission turnarounds, while reducing costs at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, as well as Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Missile defense contractor moving into Cape Canaveral facility
Florida Today (2/24): Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace, of Orlando, Florida, marked the opening of a 15,000 square foot facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Friday. The facility will be used to prepare targets for U.S. Missile Defense Agency testing. The work was performed previously in Yuma, Arizona.
Canada’s MacDonald Dettwiler to buy satellite imagery firm DigitalGlobe
Reuters (2/25): U.S. commercial satellite imager Digital Globe will sell for $2.4 billion, the largest transaction so far in a consolidation trend among commercial Earth imagery providers.
Suborbital
Virgin Galactic is one step closer to carrying tourists to space
Inverse (2/25): On Friday, Virgin Galactic’s Unity SpaceShipTwo carried out its third drop test over California’s Mojave Desert. The test flight is part of the company’s rebound from a fatal October 2014 test flight crash. Virgin intends to offer a suborbital passenger spaceflight experience.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of February 27-March 3, 2017
Spacepolicyonline.com (2/27): On Monday the U.S. House will vote on a NASA Authorization Act. The Senate did as much on February 17. Also on Monday, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce. Tuesday night, President Trump is to address a joint session of Congress, perhaps commenting on space policy.