In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The U.S. aerospace industry is joining NASA in exploring concepts supporting the future human exploration of deep space.

 

Human Deep Space Exploration

Future human space activities concepts presented by Boeing at the 33rd Space Symposium

Satnews Daily (4/3): A Boeing presentation at the annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs offered the company’s vision of a Deep Space Gateway, a way point in lunar orbit for the future human exploration of Mars. The theme includes a docking concept from the International Space Station, deep space transportation with habitat and advanced solar electric propulsion, components NASA is developing through its NextSTEP program.

‘Mars Base Camp’: Lockheed fleshes out Red Planet Space Station plan

Space.com (4/3): Lockheed Martin envisions an orbiting Mars Base Camp as part of the human exploration of the red planet. Staffed by six astronauts, the Mars orbiter would serve as the ops center for remote surface robotic activities on the red planet, selection of future human landing sites, even the analysis of soil and rock samples gathered by NASA’s Mars 2020 rover. The company presented the concept at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in late March.

Op-ed | Wishful thinking collides with policy, economic realities in ‘Capitalism in Space’ 

Space News (4/3): In an op-ed, Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, assess the role of government and the private sector in current space activities and those planned to resume the human exploration of deep space. He finds justification for NASA oversight in order to achieve success in the latter and questions whether the sometimes highly publicized advances of the private sector have yet to do more than challenge the European and Russian share of the global commercial launch business.

 

Space Science

Shaken & chilled: Tests give James Webb Telescope a taste of deep space (exclusive interview)

Space.com (4/3): Ground-based environmental testing is an essential part of the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) future success. Soon, the observatory will be transported from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where it underwent vibration testing, to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for a round of low temperature and vacuum testing. Final assembly at Northrop Grumman in Los Angeles will follow. Then comes a trip to French Guiana for a late 2018 launch. As the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, now 27 years in orbit, JWST will seek out the earliest stars and galaxies and probe the atmospheres of distant planets for signs of biomarkers.

Attempting a landing there: the case for a Europa lander

The Space Review (4/3): Jupiter’s ice and ocean covered moon Europa may rival Mars when it comes to discussions among experts over whether life has or does exist in the solar system beyond the Earth. Both promise to receive continued scrutiny from planetary scientists. But costs and technical challenges of pursuing answers from both destinations simultaneously appears prohibitive. Europa seems likely to be the focus of a new NASA flyby/orbiter, the Europa Clipper, while Mars will come under increased scrutiny by the Mars 2020 rover. However, a Europa lander mission may have to wait well over a decade before the resources are available to pursue an opportunity to touchdown and dig into the icy crust for evidence of a biological presence, according to an assessment from TSR editor Jeff Foust.

Surprise: Comet E4 Lovejoy brightens

Universe Today (4/3): Discovered March 9, Comet E4 Lovejoy is proving easier to spot in the pre-dawn sky than first thought and should remain that way through April.

 

Low Earth Orbit

Zipline system to carry crews away from Starliner in an emergency

Space News (4/3): Boeing and United Launch Alliance have selected a crew launch pad escape system for the CST -100 Starliner at their Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida launch site. The system is based on a tourist zip line concept, now popular at resorts and parks in the U.S. southwest. Terra-Nova LLC, of Park City, Utah, is the developer. The Starliner is under development as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

What this Mexican-American astronaut realized about borders while up in space

Huffington Post (4/3): The son of migrant workers, Jose Hernandez struggled to make his way into NASA’s astronaut corps. Selected in 2004 at the age of 42, he would eventually orbit the Earth in NASA’s space shuttle. He was amazed by the Earth’s beauty when he looked down, as well as the absence of human borders. Hernandez now heads a nonprofit, Reaching for the Stars.

ULA reschedules OA-7 Cygnus launch for April 18

Spaceflightinsider.com (4/3): Orbital ATK, United Launch Alliance and NASA are now targeting April 18 for the launch of the next NASA contracted Orbital resupply mission to the International Space Station. Originally planned for March 9, the launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida has been postponed several times by hydraulic system issues with the launch pad and Atlas 5 rocket’s first stage.

Eutelsat satellite returned to factory as French Guiana unrest continues 

Space News (4/3): Airbus has returned its Eutelsat 172b communications satellite from French Guiana to Toulouse, France in light of ongoing labor strikes and political unrest in the region surrounding Europe’s primary spaceport. Launch of the satellite has been delayed in definitely as a consequence.

China’s BeiDou system to expand cooperation to SE Asia

Xinhuanet (4/1): China sketches out a Southeast Asia expansion plan for its BeiDou global satellite navigation system, which counted 32 spacecraft in orbit by the end of last year.