In Today’s Deep Space Extra… International Space Station (ISS) experiments seek insight into health challenges for human deep space explorers. Intense solar activity may be headed toward Earth. Debris from Indian ASAT test still in orbit.
Human Space Exploration
Staying healthy longer in space
Phys.org (5/6): Rodent Research-12, an experiment now underway on board the International Space Station (ISS), is expected to offer insights into how the stresses of spaceflight affect the human immune system and what that may mean for future missions of deep space exploration. The immune systems of humans and mice are similar. The rodent subjects are being vaccinated before and while they are in space to assess how they respond.
Space Science
Spaceweather.com (5/7): The past few days have been marked by some intense solar activity attributed to sun spot AR2740. Some of the activity may be headed towards Earth.
Boulders on diamond-shaped asteroids hint at dusty landslides
Space.com (5/7): On going U.S. and Japanese asteroid sample return missions, NASA’s Osiris-Rex at Bennu and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa 2 at Ryugu, are providing scientists with a deeper understanding of surface processes that influenced the diamond like shapes of both bodies.
Other News
Debris from Indian ASAT test still in orbit
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report (5/6): India announced its surprise March 27 anti-satellite test shed debris at altitudes that would soon bring the impact threat out of orbit. Hundreds of small fragment continue to orbit, however, according to AGI’s Commercial Space Operations Center.
Consortium to develop “space sustainability” rating system
SpaceNews.com (5/7): The World Economic Forum has selected a cross section of companies, universities and agencies to establish a rating metric for the sustainability of satellites and other space systems. Space debris will be one focus. Teams from the European Space Agency (ESA) and MIT Media Lab will work to establish the metric, according to a presentation this week before the Satellite 2019 conference in Washington D.C.
With SpaceX scrub, NASA again demonstrates commitment to innovation
Coalition Member in the News – Northrop Grumman
Ars Technica (5/7): NASA’s operational flexibility in its approach to commercial cargo missions to the International Space Station (ISS) has permitted contractors SpaceX and Northrop Grumman opportunities to innovate, helping to keep the U.S. at the leading edge, according to one expert in the field.