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Thursday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting on space related activities from around the world. Russia successfully launches a Soyuz spacecraft with U.S., Russian and European astronauts on a five month mission to the International Space Station. In Russia, the Soviet era momentum for scientific discovery seems to be waning. NASA looks to February to start a third round of competition for the development of U. S. commercial crew transportation systems. Placing the recent flurry on alien planet discoveries into perspective. The development of the James Webb Space Telescope reaches an important technical milestone. Efforts in Central Florida to establish a monument to shuttle workers stalls in a poor economy. The time is right for viewing seven planets in the night sky.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com: U.S., Russian and European astronauts depart for the International Space Station early Wednesday. Their docking on Friday will return the station to sustain six crew operations for the first time since mid-September. The Soyuz capsule is carrying Don Pettit of NASA, Russia’s Oleg Kononenko and Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands. Friday’s docking is set for 10:22 a.m., EST. http://bit.ly/slYkPh
2. From the Washington Post: In Russia, government investments in scientific research go astray. Efforts to recapture the strides that took place under the former Soviet Union no longer seem possible. http://wapo.st/sHtsPR
3. From Space News: NASA’s strategy for a third round of competition in the nurturing of commercial crew space transportation services includes a February solicitation for proposals. In recent week, NASA has said it will stick with Space Act Agreements for its commercial partners rather than traditional development contracts because of a funding challenge. The space agency would prefer to see two commercial operators emerge. http://bit.ly/vN1HlL
4. From the Smithsonian.com: Earlier this week, astronomers announced the discovery of Earth-sized planets circling a distant star, observations carried out with NASA’s two-year-old Kepler space telescope. The Smithsonian takes a look at what recent Kepler announcements mean in the wider search for life in the universe and the future of space exploration. http://bit.ly/vygNX7
A. From Discovery.com: Kepler’s planet search also reveals two worlds circling close to a dying star. The find raises questions about the belief among experts that the sun’s death in five billion years will destroy Mercury, Venus and the Earth. http://bit.ly/tZ9KUs
5. From the Huntsville Times: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope clears a technology milestone. The observatory’s mirrors survive a low temperature evaluation. The over budget observatory is headed toward a 2018 lift off. http://bit.ly/s2kSRa
6. From Florida Today: A poor economy slows private fundraising efforts to establish a downtown monument in Titusville, Fla., to recognize the thousands of people who worked on NASA’s space shuttle program. The U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation and Space Museum is seeking $300,000 for the monument. http://on.flatoday.com/trY24V
7. From Space.com: If you know where to look, sky watchers can find seven planets in the night sky. It’s a rare opportunity. http://bit.ly/vktWCO
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