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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. A bill emerging from the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee would free funding for NASA’s Space Launch System, Orion, International Space Station and James Webb Space Telescope programs; Congressional approval would be required for termination. Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan encourages 9-year-old space exploration advocate. NASA and contractor ATV demonstrate thrust vector control for Space Launch System boosters. China’s Chang’e-3 dips closer to the moon in preparation for weekend landing. New findings question star system habitable zone boundary. European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission will attempt late 2014 comet landing. Estimates of comet ISON’s original size diminish. Prototype NASA planetary lander takes flight. NASA’s solar mission agenda may face changes in response to budget issues. Cooling system aboard the International Space Station shuts down; troubleshooting under way. Studies of mouse tissues shedding new light on astronaut vision concerns. Orbital Sciences Corp prepares rocket for cargo mission to the International Space Station. Annual Geminid meteor shower nearing weekend peak. Build new Florida commercial launch pad, editorial urges. SpaceShipTwo achieves latest glide test.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/11): A bill approved by U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee blocks NASA from cancelling the Space Launch System, Orion capsule, International Space Station and James Webb Space Telescope without prior approval from Congress. The measure also permits NASA to spend money on the programs that had previously been set aside to cover termination expenses.
Astronaut calls boy trying to save NASA
KUSA-TV, of Denver (12/12): Gene Cernan, the retired NASA astronaut who commanded Apollo 17, the final human expedition to the moon, called nine-year-old Connor Johnson with words of encouragement on Wednesday, the 41st anniversary of the historic moon landing. Johnson began a White House web site petition calling for greater support of NASA and human exploration. “A lot of people want NASA to come back — even grownups,” said Johnson. Cernan has signed the petition. The youngster needs 100,000 signatures by Dec. 29 to receive a White House response, according to the report.
NASA and ATK complete avionics and controls testing for NASA’s SLS booster
Gnomes National News Service (12/11): NASA and ATK complete key avionics tests for the solid rocket boosters that are part of NASA’s Space Launch System, a heavy lift rocket to start future explorers on missions of deep space exploration. The testing involves the thrust vector control system for the boosters.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
South China Post (12/11): China’s Chang’e-3 lunar lander maneuvers into an elliptical orbit that takes it within 15 kilometers of the moon’s surface. The lander and its Jade Rabbit rover are scheduled to land on the moon Saturday. The probe was launched Dec. 1.
Nature News (12/11): If the Earth was closer to the sun, a runaway greenhouse effect would render it unlivable, a new climate model suggests. The findings may lead to a narrower definition of a star system’s habitable zone, restricting the number of sun like stars that might harbor a rocky planet suitable for life.
European space probe to attempt comet landing
Russia Today (12/11): The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft will be primed in early 2014 for an August encounter with the icy comet – known as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. A small lander on the probe will attempt to drop to the surface of the comet on Nov. 11, 2014. Both probes will follow the comet around the sun.
Comet ISON was punier than previously thought
Science News (12/11): Comet ISON smaller than previously estimated, experts report at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San Francisco this week.
Houston-built lander that crashed last year finds success this time in a spectacular flight
Houston Chronicle (11/12): Morpheus, the new NASA prototype for a planetary lander, carries out a test flight at the Kennedy Space Center. An earlier prototype crashed at Kennedy in August 2012. Engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center developed Morpheus.
Budget heat prompts call for revising NASA’s heliophysics road map
Space News (12/11): NASA funded missions for studies of the sun will face delays if an agency road map is not altered to reflected smaller budgets.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA studying cooling problem on space station
Spaceflightnow.com (12/11): NASA shuts down some non-critical systems aboard the International Space Station Wednesday, following a thermal issue with an external cooling system pump. The station’s six astronauts and cosmonauts are in no danger, NASA said late Wednesday.
Update on space station cooling system
NASA (12/11): NASA flight control teams trouble shoot the failure of one of two external cooling loops aboard the International Space Station. Non critical systems in the U.S. segment Harmony, Columbus and Kibo modules are de-activated in response. The problem is suspected to be a flow control valve within one of two external cooling loop pumps.
Orbital samples with sight-saving potential
NASA (12/10): Studies of mice that flew in space aboard NASA’s space shuttle reveal physical stresses that may address eye sight issues reported by many astronauts assigned to long duration missions aboard the International Space Station. The difficulties are considered a challenge for human deep space missions.
Orbital mates Cygnus to rocket ahead of first contracted cargo launch
Space News (12/11): Orbital Sciences Corp. mated its next Cygnus cargo capsule to an Antares rocket on Wednesday in preparation for a Dec. 18 lift off for the International Space Station. The launch by Orbital Sciences will be the first under a $1.8 billion contract awarded the company by NASA in late 2008. The Dulles, Va., based company qualified for the Commercial Resupply Services contract by completing NASA’s Commercial Orbital Space Transportation Services program in October and late September.
Dazzling Arizona fireball sparks weekend meteor shower interest
Space.com (12/11): Geminid meteor shower predicted to peak this weekend. In Arizona, spectators got a preview on Tuesday with a small meteor explosion.
NASA audit says Google execs saved millions with jet fuel discount
Los Angeles Times (12/11): An audit by NASA’s inspector general finds that executives of Google were favored in aircraft fuel purchases from NASA’s Ames Research Center. The Google fuel savings were estimated at $3.3 million to $5.3 million.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Florida needs to stay in commercial space game
Orlando Sentinel (12/12): In an editorial, the newspaper urges support for a new commercial launch pad independent of NASA or U.S. Air Force control. The investment could bring revenues and jobs to the state in a promising financial sector, according to the newspaper.
Suborbital
Shiny SpaceShipTwo performs glide test in Mojave.
Parabolic Arc (12/11): The space ship’s nitrous oxide dump system was activated before it separated from the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft and glided to a landing. In a Tweet, operator Virgin Galactic said the next SpaceShipTwo powered flight is coming up ‘soon’.
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