Today’s Deep Space Extra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. The U.S. House and Senate agreed to a budget Continuing Resolution Wednesday, preventing a U.S. government shutdown. Real astronauts and actors from The Martian, the space film drama, talk about actual spaceflight. Set to open in theaters on Friday, The Martian has experts and enthusiasts discussing the challenges of exploring the red planet — even what to wear and which medications to include. NASA narrows a competition for a future planetary science mission to Venus and asteroids as possible destinations. NASA contracts with Boeing for another five years of International Space Station support. Blue Origin reports progress in development of a U.S. rocket engine alternative to Russia’s RD-180. Repairs to a Virginia launch pad damaged during an October 2014 resupply mission to the International Space Station are now complete. Seattle’s Spaceflight Industries announces a 2017 launch dedicated to small satellites. An Arianspace Ariane 5 rocket places Australian, Argentine communications satellites in orbit.
Join @xploredeepspace today at 2:00 p.m. EDT, for a live Tweet Chat with @MarsJoe, Joe Cassady, a rocket scientist with Aerojet Rocketdyne who is working on NASA’s Journey to Mars. During this #SpaceChat, he will provide updates and answer questions about the activities and milestones that will enable the human journey to Mars in the 2030’s. Follow the conversation via the hashtag #SpaceChat.
NASA’s 2016 Budget
Congress passes short-term Continuing Resolution for FY2016
Spacepolicyonline.com (9/30): With the end of the U.S. federal government’s 2015 fiscal year drawing to a close at midnight on Wednesday, the U.S. House and Senate agreed to a Continuing Resolution (CR) to avert a government wide shut down. With President Obama’s signature, the CR will keep the government operating through Dec. 11.
Human Deep Space Exploration
’The Martian’ stars ask real astronauts about life in space (video)
Space.com (9/30): A NASA video features a question and answer session between actors from The Martian, the film drama set to open in theaters Friday, and U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The Martian features the story of an ingenious astronaut stranded on Mars. The Space Station has been continuously staffed by astronauts from multiple nations since November 2000.
The harsh truth about Mars water and NASA’s ‘Journey to Mars’
The Washington Post (9/30/15): An enthusiasm for reaching Mars with humans is growing on fronts as different as those meticulously advanced by NASA to those envisioned by Mars One, a nonprofit based in the Netherlands that hopes to start a colony. New evidence from NASA researchers that water flows on Mars helps, but major challenges loom.
’The Martian is a great movie, but it sends the wrong message about our happy little journey to Mars
The Houston Chronicle (10/1): The Martian, the Hollywood film drama about a NASA astronaut stranded on Mars, opens in theaters Friday. A commentary finds an absence of the private sector and international participation.
Tomorrow’s space suit: Personal “gravity pack” comes standard
IEEE Spectrum (9/30): The space suits worn by astronauts assigned to future deep space missions will function quite differently than those used by residents of the International Space Station. Small control moment gyros and jet packs will steady and maneuver the astronauts as they explore new worlds.
What medicines would we pack for a trip to Mars?
The Conversation (10/1): A mission to Mars and back will take months to years. The medications that accompany astronauts must be effective in low gravity environments and suitable for storage. It will not be possible for explorers to return quickly to Earth in an emergency.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
NASA narrows its list of planetary targets
Nature (9/30): NASA’s latest competition for a future Discovery class planetary mission produces two candidates for Venus and three for studies of asteroids. Mission development costs are capped at $500 million. NASA will make a final selection in September 2016.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA asks Boeing to look at keeping the ISS flying through 2028
Space News (9/30): NASA asks Boeing, the agency’s long time International Space Station prime contractor and sustaining engineer, to assess prospects for keeping the six person orbiting science lab in orbit through 2028. The request is part of a new five year supporting engineering contract for the station effective through 2020.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Blue Origin reaches milestone in BE-4 engine development
Space News (9/30): Blue Origin’s BE-4, a rocket engine candidate for propulsion duty aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V and Vulcan launch vehicles, has carried out more than 100 developmental tests. The BE-4 relies on natural gas as a primary fuel.
Repair work complete on MARS Launch Pad at Wallops facility
The Hampton Roads Virginian Pilot (9/30): Repairs to a launch pad operated by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va., have been completed. The pad was damaged Oct. 28, 2014 during the launch of an Orbital ATK Antares rocket with supplies bound for the International Space Station.
Spaceflight Industries buys Falcon 9 launch
Space News (9/30): Seattle based Spaceflight Industries announced the purchase of a single rocket launch dedicated to the delivery of small satellites to Earth orbit. More than 20 small satellites, some owned by government agencies and others by private companies, will be aboard the rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., during the second half of 2017. Spaceflight announced Wednesday it plans similar launches on an annual basis as the popularity of small satellites grows.
Ariane 5 rocket sends two communications satellites into orbit
Spaceflightinsider.com (9/30): In French Guiana, the successful launch of a European Ariane 5 rocket late Wednesday placed communication satellites for Argentina and Australian in orbit.