In Today’s Deep Space Extra… 2017 and 2018 federal budget deliberations await Trump White House and Congress.
Human Deep Space Exploration
FY2018 budget may be topic A, but FY2017 still not settled
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/29): Though the U.S. Congress is soon to get more details from the Trump Administration on the proposed 2018 budget, the White House and lawmakers must still come to terms on a spending plan for 2017. Unable to agree on a budget last year, lawmakers and the previous administration settled on a budget Continuing Resolution (CR) that holds current year spending at 2016 levels. The CR expires on April 28. President Trump wants a $33 billion supplemental budget increase for Defense and Homeland Security, which means $18 billion in reductions across non-defense agencies, including NASA, though the path forward appears “murky.”
Hatch Urges Continued Support of Space Exploration in Letter to President Trump
Hatch.Senate.Gov (3/29): Senator Orrin Hatch, of Utah, the senior Republican in the United States Senate, led 23 of his colleagues in a letter to President Trump highlighting the importance of space exploration infrastructure, including the Space Launch System (SLS), the Orion Spacecraft, and the Exploration Ground System (EGS). The letter calls for a renewed focus on deep space assets and urges the President to continue supporting these critical systems. Hatch’s letter also highlighted the large number of American jobs that support space exploration, which includes tens of thousands in the state of Utah.
Space Science
ESA selects a second potential landing site for ExoMars 2020 rover
Space News (3/29): The European Space Agency has narrowed to two preferred landing sites for its ExoMars rover, a joint effort with Russia, to find evidence of life on Mars. Mawrth Vallis and Oxia Planum display evidence of past interaction with surface water and landscapes with an absence of major landing hazards.
In lab simulating harsh Mars climate, a nascent potato grows
Associated Press via ABC News (3/30): NASA assisted research in Peru has shown that potatoes will grow in simulated Martian environmental conditions, including the high carbon dioxide levels. The findings could pay dividends for Earth as well as for the human exploration of Mars.
No joke: April Fools’ comet to pass closest to Earth since discovery
Space.com (3/29): On April 1, Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacombini-Kresák will make its closest pass by Earth ever since its 1858 discovery. A small telescope will be necessary to view this comet with a long history that includes a 1973 flaring event.
InSight lander’s troubled seismometer passes major test
Spaceflightnow.com (3/29): The NASA led InSight Mars lander mission was delayed last year when troubles with a French seismometer surfaced. Plans for a May 2018 lift-off have been bolstered by testing of an upgraded seismometer. After landing, InSight is to drill into the Martian surface to study the red planet’s seismic processes.
Low Earth Orbit
Kimbrough, Whitson prepare for spacewalk Thursday
Spaceflightnow.com (3/30): NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Peggy Whitson prepared early Thursday for a spacewalk outside the International Space Station that was to last six and a half hours. Their primary task is to equip the recently relocated Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 with heater power, thermal protection and orbital debris impact protection. PMA-3, moved robotically over the weekend from the Tranquility module to the space facing surface of the Harmony module, will serve as the foundation for a second U.S. commercial crew docking port for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s crewed Dragon. The final major piece for the port is an International Docking Adapter, which is to be launched and installed by early 2018. The spacewalk is scheduled to start at 8 a.m., EDT. Coverage of the walk is now live at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
NASA assigns astronauts to future Space Station missions
Spaceflightnow.com (3/29): Veteran NASA astronauts Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold will prepare for six month missions to the International Space Station with launches aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft planned for September 2017 and March 2018. Boeing acquired the seats from Russia on NASA’s behalf as part of a settlement agreement. The flight assignments were announced earlier this week.
United Kingdom industry praises spaceflight bill, but calls 2020 launch goal unrealistic
Space News (3/29): Efforts in the United Kingdom to initiate domestic space launch services by 2020 will be a challenge, experts testified before Parliament this week.
Suborbital
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin reveals photos of capsule that could send tourists into space
Seattle Times (3/29): On Wednesday, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos previewed the interior of the passenger seating aboard the company’s New Shepard, a reusable suborbital passenger spacecraft. Every seat is a window seat.
Another feather in Jeff Bezos’ space helmet: Blue Origin wins Collier Trophy
GeekWire.com (3/29): Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital passenger spacecraft wins the Robert J. Collier Trophy presented by the National Aeronautic Association.