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Thursday’s CSExtra features the latest reporting and analysis on space activities from around the world. Bad weather prompts NASA to postpone Thursday’s bid to launch the shuttle Discovery. The Nov. 2 election is bringing new faces and new leadership to the House. That will mean changes for the committees that provide NASA oversight. Some say the space agency will have to do more with less. NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft will sail within 435 miles of the comet Hartley 2 on Thursday. NASA approves the use of a new adjustable kind of eyeglass use by astronauts.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com: Bad weather forces a scrub early Thursday, after NASA’s Mission Management Team clears the shuttle Discovery for lift off on the spacecraft’s 39th and final mission. The next launch attempt is set for Friday at 3:03 p.m. Thursday’s forecast included an 80 percent chance of launch weather violations. Friday’s outlook includes a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions, as a cold front passes. High winds could be a factor, though.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/status.html
A. From Spaceflightnow.com: On Wednesday NASA’s Mission Management Team resolves issues with a shuttle rocket engine main engine controller.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/101103mmt/index2.html
2. From Space News: The Nov. 2 U.S. Congressional elections, in which Republicans gained control of the House, will bring changes in leadership to NASA over sight panels. Frank Wolf, R., VA., appears headed for chairmanship of the House Appropriation Committee’s Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee. U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, R, Texas, will likely chair the House Science and Technology Committee. Neither lawmaker liked President Obama’s cancellation of NASA’s Constellation program
http://www.spacenews.com/policy/101103-election-brings-new-leadership-nasa-oversight-committees.html
A. From Spacepolicyonline.com: The Nov. 2 election outcome is not good news for NASA’s space program, the website concludes in a news analysis. The agency will likely be forced to do more with less.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1204:what-the-election-means-for-nasa&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
B. From the New York Times: Under Republican leadership, the House could push for a roll back of non Defense spending to 2008 levels. Spending on science, which has risen under President Obama so far, would be a victim.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/business/04research.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
C. From Spacepolitics.com: The website is tracking the outcomes of a number of close congressional contests whose outcome could influence NASA legislation.
http://www.spacepolitics.com
3. From the Associated Press via the Los Angeles Times and others: NASA’s Deep Impact probe will pass within 435 miles of the comet Hartley 2 on Thursday.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/wire/sns-ap-us-sci-comet-encounter,0,4222377.story
A. From the Coalition for Space Exploration: Experts at Purdue University develop a software program to assess the threat to Earth from prospective asteroid collisions, including Apothis, which will come close in 2036
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/blog/calculator-estimates-calamity-from-cometasteroid-impact-of-earth
4. From the Houston Chronicle: In an op-ed, Dr. Bernard Harris, the former NASA astronaut and first African-American to walk in space, writes that NASA has the power to inspire young students to pursue careers in science and engineering — if they receive the encouragement.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7276309.html
A. From the Washington Post: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center teams with Lockheed Martin to donate new computers to Washington area classrooms.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/03/AR2010110304847.html
5. From the Wall Street Journal: Two of shuttle Discovery’s astronauts will don new Super Focus glasses on their mission. These classes have lenses that adjust much like the human eye. NASA has approved the recently marketed glasses for spaceflight.
http://online.wsj.com/video/new-eyeglasses-approved-for-astronauts-in-space/1E0FB9BD-4329-4F11-98DF-8A0BDC251E3F.html?KEYWORDS=NASA
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