In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA assesses external schedule challenges to first joint test flight of the Space Launch System and Orion crew capsule. Scientists see astronauts as essential part of future lunar and Mars exploration.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Orion service module and Michoud damage biggest risks to schedule for first SLS mission
Space News (3/30): Preparations for Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), the first combined test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule, are being paced in part by delays in the delivery of the European Space Agency’s service module contribution and damage to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) from an early February tornado. MAF is the assembly site for the SLS first stage and Orion. EM-1 is planned for late 2018. Earlier this year, NASA also began assessing whether to add two astronauts to the previously unmanned test flight that will send Orion around the moon and back to Earth. Details of schedule challenges emerged in a Washington meeting of NASA’s Advisory Council earlier this week.
NASA eyeing mini space station in lunar orbit as stepping-stone to Mars
Space.com (3/30): It looks like NASA’s stepping-stone to Mars will be a miniature space station in lunar orbit rather than a chunk of captured asteroid. The agency plans to build an astronaut-tended “deep space gateway” in orbit around the moon during the first few missions of the Space Launch System (SLS) mega-rocket and Orion crew capsule, which are scheduled to fly together for the first time in late 2018, NASA officials said.
Space Science
Extreme gas loss dried out Mars, MAVEN data suggest
Science News (3/30): NASA’s Maven Mars orbiter meets its mission objective as its findings suggest Mars was once warmer and wetter. The environment and climate changed as a more intense solar wind stripped away the atmosphere. Research findings led by scientists from the University of Colorado were published Friday in the journal Science.
Comet Lovejoy brightens quickly, heads north
Sky and Telescope (3/30): Comet Lovejoy, discovered March 10, quietly joins the night sky of the early morning as a viewable object.
Pictures show a mysterious planet get more surreal over time
National Geographic (3/30): NASA’s Juno spacecraft, in orbit around giant Jupiter since early July, has returned stunning photos of the gas giant, including close-up images of the colorful, curling, looping cloud tops that obscure a mysterious interior.
Low Earth Orbit
Astronaut Peggy Whitson sets spacewalk record
CBS News (3/30): Space station commander Shane Kimbrough and Peggy Whitson, setting a new record as the world’s most experienced female spacewalker, floated outside the International Space Station Thursday and continued ongoing work to set up a second docking port for U.S. crew ferry ships. They also installed an upgraded computer relay box and attached protective shielding before calling it a day.
SpaceX launches, lands its “flight proven” rocket
Ars Technica (3/30): Late Thursday, SpaceX launched a previously flown Falcon 9 first stage as part of a launch vehicle that successfully delivered a commercial communications satellite into orbit. The Hawthorne, California, based company also managed to re-land the first stage a second time to further its quest of lower launch costs through reusability.
Putin says no plans to restrict rocket engine supplies to U.S.
TASS of Russia (3/30): Russia has no intentions of restricting sales of its domestic rocket engines to the U.S., according to President Putin in remarks this week.
Defects found in almost every Russian proton rocket engine
Moscow Times (3/30): Rocket engines assigned to Russia’s Proton rocket, a strong competitor on the global launch services market, are revealing defects, according to a report from RIA Novosti citing an executive with rocket engine manufacturer Energomash.