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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Funding an obstacle for NASA’s next steps in human deep space exploration. U.S. Senate passes two-year compromise spending plan already approved by the House; could ease threat of future government shut downs. Is NASA obsessed with safety? Canadian astronaut predicts humans living on moon in his life time. European Gaia deep space observatory launched early Thursday. Beijing looks to Mars. Discovery of first exo-moon announced. NASA’s communications links to deep space probes turns 50. Fall turns to winter in the Northern Hemisphere on Saturday. Billionaire favors youthful satellite project. Ice samples point to collision with Halley Comet fragment centuries ago. First of three International Space Station spacewalks to repair cooling system problems set for Saturday.
Human Deep Space Exploration
NASA’s greatest challenges in 2014
Network World (12/18): Funding represents a challenge for NASA in the coming year, according to NASA’s inspector general in an annual audit report on top obstacles facing the space program. Future efforts to develop the Space Launch System and the Orion capsule, both cornerstones to U.S. efforts to embark on future missions of human deep space exploration, among those listed as vulnerable.
It’s a deal! Senate passes Ryan-Murray budget
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/18): The U.S. Senate joined the House on Wednesday in adopting a two-year budget deal. The accommodation promises to avoid additional U.S. government shutdowns like the 16 day interlude in October and offer some stability to federal agencies like NASA. President Obama is expected to sign.
Is an obsession with safety stifling space exploration?
Popular Mechanics (12/18): Safe is not an option author Rand Simberg suggests an obsession with safety threatens to shackle the human exploration of space. “If we had treated aviation in the 1920s and 1930s the way many want to treat spaceflight today, we’d have never had an aviation industry,” suggests Simberg.
Astronaut predicts humans will live on moon in his lifetime
Fox News (12/18): Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, 54, predicts humans will be living on the moon in his lifetime.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Soyuz ST-B successfully launches Gaia space observatory
NASA Spaceflight.com (12/19): The European Gaia space observatory begins a deep space journey early Thursday with a lift off aboard an Arianespace Soyuz rocket from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana. Gaia was developed to map a billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. “Gaia’s main goal is to create a highly accurate 3D map of our Milky Way Galaxy by repeatedly observing a billion stars to determine their precise positions in space and their motions through it,” the website reports.
Beijing ‘ready’ to launch Mars mission
Global Times (12/19): China is prepared to expand its space exploration agenda to Mars, according to a Chinese expert. The declaration follows the successful landing of China’s Chang’e-3 spacecraft on the lunar surface earlier this month. “We follow our own approach that respects stable progress and dislikes rash and reckless moves,” Wu Weirenhe, chief designer of China’s lunar probe program, said. “We don’t want to compete with any country in this regard.”
First exo-moon glimpsed 1800 light years from Earth
New Scientist (12/18): Discovery of first exo-moon reveals a strange place. The moon and its host exo-planet seem to be adrift, far from a parent star.
NASA’s deep space network turns 50
NASA (12/18): The communications network that permits NASA to speak with its spacecraft on deep space missions turns 50 on Dec. 24.
Winter solstice: The Sun stands still on Saturday
Space.com (12/18): Fall turns to winter in the northern hemisphere on Saturday. Sunlit hours will be the least for the year.
Billionaire Yuri Milner just poured millions into this whiz kid satellite startup
Forbes.com (12/18): Young multi-national investors, known as Planetary Labs, looks to commercial launch sector for ride to orbit for small satellite missions.
Why Halley’s Comet may be linked to famine 1,500 years ago
Space.com (12/18): Are comets harbingers of doom? Hard to say, but scientists point to a piece of the famous comet Halley that likely struck the Earth in 536 A.D. raising enough dust to alter crop production. The evidence was noted in ice cores from Greenland and presented to the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA orders spacewalks to replace balky valve on Station; Antares launch postponed
Space News (12/18): NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins named for International Space Station spacewalks Dec. 21, 23 and 25th to restore external cooling system to normal operations. Decision delays launch of Orbital Sciences Corps’ ORB-1 resupply flight to the ISS from Dec. 19 to mid-January.
NASA equips astronauts with snorkels, absorbent pads
CBS News via Spaceflightnow.com (12/18): NASA confident International Space Station astronauts are prepared, equipped to carry out up to three spacewalks to repair International Space Station external cooling system. Snorkel and absorbent pads would address worst case space suit water leak experienced during a July 16 excursion by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano.
NASA preps for spacewalk to repair ISS
Florida Today (12/18): At first sign of leaking water in their space suits, NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins would be recalled to the airlock of the International Space Station. Their space suits will be equipped with absorbent water pads and internal snorkels to fend off the impact of a water leak like that experienced by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano on July 16.
Holiday fix planned for space station cooling woes
Houston Chronicle (12/19): Holiday spacewalks intended to fix ailing cooling system aboard the International Space Station. Sudden cooling loss has impacted science experiments.
Two U.S. astronauts tapped for spacewalks to fix a space station pump (+video)
Christian Science Monitor (12/18): NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins designated for three spacewalks starting Dec. 21 to replace pump module with faulty flow control valve outside the International Space station. Excursions set for Dec. 21, 23 and 25.
Illinois grad on space station to go for a walk
KSDK.com (12/18): Missouri native and former University of Illinois football captain Mike Hopkins to embark on International Space Station spacewalks.
Russian ISS segment unaffected by station cooling system problems
Itar-Tass, or Russia (12/19): So far, the Russian segment of the International Space Station has not been affected by U.S. segment cooling system issues, according to Mike Suffredini, NASA International Space Station program manager.
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