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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. U.S. House Budget Committee Chair sees long budget continuing resolution without a federal shutdown. Heat shield work prepares NASA’s Orion crew capsule for Exploration Flight Test-1 in early December. On Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover skips “slipper sands” drilling site. Mars “thigh bone” likely a wind and water weathered rock. NASA’s long running Cassini mission at Saturn examines similarities between Titan and early Earth. Retired NASA astronaut Steve Nagel dies. Russia hints at support for International Space Station extension. NASA, Planet Labs business startup establishing Earth observing constellation. NASA internships shape future engineers, scientists. European navigation satellite duo arrive in wrong orbit. Space Florida troubled by Kennedy Space Center master plan to encourage commercial space. SpaceX test vehicle self-destructs at Central Texas test site. Space related events scheduled for the next two weeks.
NASA’s 2015 Budget
House gearing up for CR to last until December
Spacepolitics.com (8/22): U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, chair of the U.S. House Budget Committee, waves off thoughts of a U.S. Government shutdown, though the U.S. Senate has not passed appropriations measures with the Oct. 1 start of the 2015 fiscal year looming. Ryan tells Roll Call plans are underway for House passage of a budget continuing resolution effective into December, or longer.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Orion’s protective shell of 970 space shuttle thermal tiles installed for EFT-1 mission
AmericaSpace.com (8/24): NASA’s Exploration Flight Test-1 Orion capsule was equipped with heat shield tiles last week as the capsule is prepared for a December unpiloted flight test. Orion, launched on a Delta IV Heavy, will circle the Earth twice before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. Orion and NASA’s Space Launch System heavy lift rocket are in development to send humans on future missions of deep space exploration.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Universe Today (8/22): NASA’s Curiosity rover turns away from rock drilling in “slippery sands” to resume drive to Mount Sharp.
‘Thigh bone’ on Mars is just another rock, NASA says
Space.com (8/23): “Thigh bone” spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars is actually a rock weathered by past water and/or wind, the agency explains in a science brief. The photo’s odd shape triggered speculation over its origins on the Internet.
How Titan’s haze help us understand life’s origins
Astrobiology Magazine (8/25): Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and NASA’s long running Cassini mission help to explain how life emerged on Earth.
Low Earth Orbit
Former NASA Astronaut Steve Nagel dies after battle with cancer
Spaceflight Insider (8/23): Steve Nagel, of Illinois, extended careers in the U.S. Air Force and NASA that included four space shuttle flights with assignments in safety and aircraft operations at the Johnson Space Center. Nagel died Aug. 21 of cancer.
Russia may continue ISS work beyond 2020 – reports
Ria Novosti, of Russia, (8/25): Prospects that Russia will join with the U.S. to back an extension of operations aboard the International Space Station from 2020 to 2014 improve, according to an official with the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos. Meanwhile, Russia continues work on new modules and hardware for the six person orbiting science lab.
A tech start-up just restored my faith in humanity
New York Magazine (8/21): San Francisco-based Planet Labs develops a CubeSat constellation for Earth imagery. Former NASA engineers pursue Silicon Valley business model to accelerate their business case with small satellite launches.
NASA interns explore space careers
Voice of America (8/22): At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, summer internships for high school, college and grad students shape future engineers, scientists.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Galileo launch, initially hailed as success, is a failure
Space News (8/23): Two European Galileo satellite navigation system spacecraft placed in orbit aboard a Soyuz rocket launched by Arianespace from French Guiana on Friday end up in the wrong orbit. An investigation is focused on an upper stage failure of the European version of the Soyuz.
Space Florida criticizes KSC master plan
Florida Today (8/23): Space Florida, a state economic development agency, finds lapses in Kennedy Space Center master plan to increase commercial spaceflight activities in Central Florida. Proposed launch pad locations are among the concerns.
SpaceX test mishap prompts delay of Falcon 9 launch
Spaceflightnow.com (8/24): Flight termination system destroys SpaceX F9R Dev 1 vehicle during flight test of reusable first stage hardware at test facility in McGregor in Central Texas. SpaceX delays a Falcon 9 launching of an AsiaSat telecommunications satellite from Florida as a precaution.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of August 25-September 5, 2014
Spacepolicyonline.com (8/24): Congress remains in recess until Sept. 8. Other policymaking activities are scheduled.
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