Today’s Deep Space Extra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Space exploration, including human missions to Mars as depicted in the successful film drama The Martian, can be inspiring; but real life investments and accomplishments are necessary to motivate the nation’s youth, according to policy experts and enthusiasts. Crowd source efforts get under way to restore the final Saturn V first stage rocket once assigned to Apollo 19. The James Webb Space Telescope, under development by NASA and Northrop Grumman, makes cold temperature strides. If water flows seasonally on the sloped terrain of Mars, could there be indigenous life? Might manmade robots and human explorers make it impossible to determine? Photos from the Cassini mission at Saturn suggest Enceladus is an active ocean covered moon. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly encourages others to break his just set record for career time in space. China, Russia launch communications satellites. A Russian spacecraft, launched in 2014, continues to raise suspicions as it maneuvers close to Intelsat satellites. SpaceX changes payloads as it prepares the Falcon 9 rocket for a December return to flight. A look at major space related activities scheduled for the week ahead.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Aspirations of ‘The Martian’
News & Advance, of Lynchburg, Va. (10/19): A strong box office showing by the The Martian, the fictional account of a determined astronaut stranded on the Red Planet, suggests a need for the shared national purpose and pride of reaching for the stars in real life and not just at the movies, writes columnist Marsha Mercer.
Watkins: Support of space exploration is a must if NASA – and U.S. – are to succeed
Houston Chronicle (10/17): U.S. investments in space exploration are modest in comparison to the nation’s overall resources. However, they are crucial to exposing the youth to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields that can lead to inspiring careers, writes Michael Watkins, professor of engineering at the University of Texas, and former mission manager for operations of NASA’s Curiosity rover.
If we don’t push the limits with space exploration, what are we really doing?
The Huffington Post (10/16): If the human exploration of Mars is a true national goal, U.S. youth need to see real progress now if they are to be truly inspired to acquire the skills to make it happen, writes Abigail Harrison, an aspiring NASA astronaut.
‘Back the booster’: museum crowdfunding move of Saturn V rocket stage
Collectspace.com (10/16): Backers have started a Kickstarter campaign to restore the first stage of the last ever Saturn V moon rocket that was once assigned to the cancelled Apollo 19 mission. Now at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana, the refurbished stage would be placed on public display at the INFINITY Science Center at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
James Webb Telescope ‘Pathfinder’ replica completes first cryogenic optics test
America Space (10/17): Testing under super cold vacuum conditions is preparing the Northrop Grumman developed James Webb Space Telescope’s primary mirror structure for assembly and launching in late 2018. The JWST is the designated successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. The new space observatory will help trace the evolution of the early universe and examine the atmospheres of planets circling distant stars for biosignatures.
Mars water discovery sparks exploration debate
Space.com (10/16): Recently, scientists reported that dark streaks on sloped surface features of Mars, Recurring Slope Linae, represented evidence for seasonal flows of briny water. On Earth, biological activity is synonymous with water. The RSL finding has scientists debating whether to explore RSL features with robotic and perhaps eventually human explorers. The concern: manmade robots and humans might contaminate Martian environments before scientists can determine whether the red planet hosts life forms of its own.
New photos of the ocean-filled, potentially habitable moon Enceladus
Washington Post (10/16): Cassini, a long running cooperative mission at Saturn, has returned close-up images of Enceladus an icy, ocean covered moon of the ringed planet. A network of cracks extending across impact craters at the north pole adds more evidence of geophysical activity on the distant “ocean moon.” Earlier close-ups revealed geyser like sprays at the moon’s south pole. Cassini is a joint mission by NASA and the European and Italian space agencies.
Low Earth Orbit
Astronaut Scott Kelly breaks American record for days in space
CNN (10/18): “Records are made to be broken,” noted NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, the current International Space Station commander, last week as his career total for time in space surpassed the previous 382 day U.S. record set by fellow American astronaut Mike Fincke. Kelly, along with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, is in the midst of a near yearlong stay about the station that began last March 27.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
China puts new communication satellite into orbit for HK company
Xinhuanet, of China (10/17): A Chinese Long March 3B rocket placed the APSTAR-9A communications satellite in orbit on Saturday. The new satellite was developed to provide Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia with television and data transmission services.
Russia’s proton rocket puts Turkish telecoms satellite into orbit
Sputnik International (10/17): A Russian Proton rocket lifted off Friday with a Turkish communications satellite that reached geostationary orbit a day later. Built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric Corp., the satellite will provide television and Internet services for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Russian Luch satellite relocates next to another intelsat craft
Space News (10/16): Launched in September 2014, Russia’s mysterious Luch satellite has relocated close to its third Intelsat communications satellite, according to the report based on observations from experts. The activities have prompted calls for more responsible behavior by Russia.
SpaceX changes its Falcon 9 return-to-flight plans
Space News (10/16): SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, grounded since a June 28 launch explosion with cargo bound for the International Space Station, will attempt to return to flight in December with a payload of 11 Orbcom communications satellites rather than a heavier telecommunications satellite for Luxembourg based SES. Both launches could occur in December. The schedule will permit SpaceX to test the re-start performance of the Falcon 9’s second stage ahead of the SES launch.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of October 19-23, 2015
Spacepolicyonline.com (10/18): In Washington, The U.S. House and Senate are scheduled to convene this week. There’s a possibility of a vote in the House on the re-authorization of U.S. Export-Import Bank, which offers a means for foreign customers to finance the purchase of U.S. aerospace products. Lawmakers face deadlines of Nov. 3 and Dec. 11, on raising the federal debt limit and adopting a 2016 federal budget. Among other activities, Women in Aerospace plans its annual awards ceremony on Thursday.