1. From the New York Times — An outline of NASA’s early response to the space policy directive it received from President Obama. This is a report from the NASA hosted May 25-26 Exploration Enterprise Workshop in Galveston.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/science/space/08nasa.html?scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
A. The Times reports on Bigelow Aerospace and Robert Bigelow’s private sector effort to develop a space station using inflatable modules. The potential customers include sovereign nations who want the prestige of being in space without the headaches of development and some private companies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/science/space/08space.html?scp=4&sq=NASA&st=cse
2. From Spacepolicyonline, Congressional action on NASA’s budget and those of other non-defense agencies may have to wait for the November elections. The timing effects spending on the Constellation Program the Obama Administration wishes to cancel. http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=952:appropriations-process-still-waiting-for-budget-resolution&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
3. Two from Monday’s The Space Review:
A. “The Falcon 9 Flies,” Editor Jeff Foust assesses the success of the Falcon 9 flight on June 4. Some key points, founder Elon Musk suggests a first flight of his Dragon capsule with astronauts is possible within 3 years of a contract award. SpaceX has a “super heavy lift” rocket in the works. Plans for an escape system for Dragon are different than those for Orion. The escape system propulsion would enable the capsule to touchdown on land rather than water. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1642/1
B. Blinded by the Light. Dwayne Day examines the space solar power community and finds little to perpetuate the idea of harnessing terrestrial electricity from satellites. After tracing interest to the post-Apollo years, Day notes it really disappeared until the National Space Security Office produced a widely read report in 2007. Interest seems to be fading again. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1641/1
4. This Week in Space with Miles O’Brien speaks with Elon Musk on the success of Falcon 9’s inaugural launching. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wymbcXc54c
5. From Wired.com — NASA invites the public to upload mug shots to accompany shuttle’s Discovery and Endeavour on their final missions. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/face-in-space/
6. From Space.com — Weekend reports of UFO’s in Australia were most likely prompted by debris from Friday’s Falcon 9 launching, say experts. http://www.exploredeepspace.com/scienceastronomy/australia-ufo-actually-private-rocket-100607.html
7. From Space.com — The remains of NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft, a probe called Epoxi, will swing past the Earth late this month on its way to a November encounter with the comet Hartley 2. As Deep Impact, the spacecraft rendezvoused with comet Tempel 1 and unleashed a impactor to study the fragments.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/missionlaunches/deep-impact-epoxi-earth-comet-flyby-100607.html
8. From the AP via the Orlando Sentinel — Academy Award winning actor Morgan Freeman will host the Science Channel series, “Through the Wormhole” The series will examine the prospects of life beyond Earth, the state of the universe before there was a universe, time travel. Freeman has a longstanding interest in space and astronomy.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/sns-ap-us-tv-freemans-stars,0,4951265.story
9. From Florida Today — In January, a worker at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center found a plastic bag which contained what was later identified as cocaine. However an investigation by NASA’s inspector general has ended without an arrest or evidence the incident posed a safety threat. 200 workers were screened for drugs.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100608/NEWS01/6080316/1086/No+punishment+in+KSC+cocaine+case
10. From Florida Today — U. S. Rep. Bill Posey, a Republican who represents a district that includes the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, has been shunned on space matters by the White House. Posey’s outspoken opposition to the President may be to blame, FT reports
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100608/COLUMNISTS0207/6080317/1086/Matt+Reed++Obama+shuts+out+Rep.+Posey+on+space
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