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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. U.S. President Obama signs Congressional $1.1 billion Omnibus appropriations measure for 2014, ending threat of government shutdown for remainder of fiscal year. Bill includes $17.6 billion for NASA, easing restrictions of sequester and supporting Space Launch System, Orion crew capsule development. NASA looks to July for test firings of Space Launch System (SLS) core stage rocket engines. European Space Agency offers assurances on readiness of Orion service module for key 2017 SLS/Orion test flight. U.S./China space officials meet in Washington; meetings among science professionals for the two nations scheduled for 2014. NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center re-named for Neil Armstrong. NASA Glenn’s Research Center on advanced propulsion spells bright future, according to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. European Space Agency to re-connect with Rosetta comet probe Monday. NASA astrophysics road map emerges. NASA funds adequate to avoid a Curiosity/Cassini run off. Europe looks to Russia for new joint missions. Fresh rock poses Mars mystery. Search and rescue sensor on U.S. weather satellite saves lives. Bullock or Clooney? RSC Energia of Russia reports rising space revenues. A look at major space related activities scheduled for the week ahead.
Human Deep Space Exploration
President Obama signs $17.6 billion NASA budget
Spaceflightnow.com (1/17): On Friday, President Obama signed the $1.1 billion Omnibus appropriations act for 2014, averting another federal government shutdown. The spending plan in effect through Sept. 30 includes $17.6 billion for NASA.
Budget deal puts NASA’s space exploration plans back on track
NBC News.com (1/17): The U.S. space agency emerges from the restrictions of budget sequestration with the 2014 Omnibus appropriations act that includes funding for NASA human deep space initiatives, the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket, the Orion crew capsule and associated ground systems. With development, the SLS and Orion would take U.S. astronauts on a mission to an asteroid and eventually Mars.
Omnibus spending bill provides $700 million increase for NASA
Space News (1/17): After U.S. House, Senate and White House action last week on an Omnibus appropriations bill for 2014, NASA emerges with a 17.6 billion budget for 2014, a $700 million increase over 2013, though about $100 million less than the White House request for the fiscal year.
The federal budget, per person
New York Times (1/18): Grasping the level of U.S. federal spending on a personal level.
NASA prepares for space launch system engine tests
SEN (1/19): NASA plans to begin test firings this summer of the core stage engines assigned to the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket intended to start U.S. explorers on future missions of deep space exploration.
ESA promises NASA that Orion Service Module delay won’t hold up 2017 launch
Space News (1/17): The European Space Agency assures NASA it will cope with restrictive budgets and technical challenges in order to produce a service module for the planned 2017 unpiloted test flight of the Orion crew capsule atop the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket. In a Jan. 17 press briefing here, ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain said the preliminary design review for the Europe-built service module for Orion is now scheduled to start April 1 and to be completed in mid-May, nearly a year behind schedule.
Mars or bust: putting humans on the red planet
National Public Radio (1/19): Globally, public interest in reaching, exploring and perhaps settling Mars is on the rise. In the U.S., it is a dream championed through the generations and by the late Carl Sagan for the baby boomers.
NASA, China meet on possible cooperation
Aviation Week & Space Technology (1/17): The U.S./China meeting accompanies a Jan. 9-10 Washington meeting on the future of space exploration sponsored by the U.S. State Department and involving more than 30 nations. “We are looking for ways in time to find different ways we can be a partner to them,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden explained at the end of the heads-of-agency meeting. “Human spaceflight is not something that’s going to happen with U.S. [and] China in the foreseeable future, because we are forbidden from doing that by law, so let’s just get that out there That’s not going to change; not today, anyway.” The restriction is embedded in NASA’s appropriations legislation.
From moon to Mojave: Flight center named for Neil Armstrong
Los Angeles Times (1/17): NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California’s Mojave Desert is renamed for Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong, who was also a NASA test pilot. The name change was in response to Congressional legislation.
NASA’s leader sees bright future for Glenn Research Center
Cleveland Plain-Dealer (1/17): NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visits NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, where he predicts a great future for the field center assigned to study propulsion technologies for the agency’s proposed Asteroid Retrieval Mission. One of those, solar electric propulsion, could become a future in space source of propulsion for humans.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Watch live at 8 a.m. ET: European Rosetta comet probe’s big wake-up call
Space.com (1/20): Monday is a big day for the European Space Agency as it re-establishes contact with Rosetta, a spacecraft launched in 2004 for an encounter with the comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasinko in August. Rosetta went into intentional electronic hibernation 31 months ago. The probe is designed to place a lander on the comet for a trip around the sun.
Hibernating Rosetta comet probe to get wake-up call
Discovery.com (1/19): Rosetta’s response to wake up call from the European Space Agency is expected Monday between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., EST.
Enduring quests and daring visions: NASA lays out a road map for astrophysics
Universe Today (1/17): The NASA Advisory Council’s Science Committee embraces three themes for its future astrophysics road map: Are we alone? How did we get here? How does the universe work?
NASA: Upcoming senior review won’t pit Cassini versus Curiosity
Spacepolitics.com (1/17): Despite previous concerns, NASA’s planetary science division will not face an “either/or” choice when it comes to extending the Mars Curiosity rover or Cassini mission at Saturn, James Green, NASA division director, told professional groups last week. Earlier, the impending end of Curiosity’s primary mission later this year, raised the specter of a choice. Nonetheless, an agency “senior review” on how to allocate funds will include some “tough choices,” noted Green.
European Space Agency wants more missions with Russia
Ria Novosti (1/17): On Friday, the European Space Agency’s director general expressed interest in more joint missions with Russia to the moon, Mars and Jupiter.
The Coalition for Space Exploration (1/19): Scientists close in on an explanation for a new rock found near NASA’s Opportunity rover on Mars. Opportunity landed on the red planet 10 years ago this month. The mysterious rock became visible only recently.
Low Earth Orbit
NOAA search and rescue system saves 253 people throughout U.S. in 2013
Spacepolicyonline.com (1/18): The search and rescue feature on NOAA’s weather satellites saved 253 lives in 2013, the federal agency reports.
Who would astronauts rather have as a crew member, Sandra Bullock or George Clooney?
Houston Chronicle (1/17): The response to the headline question is included in a series of queries posed to NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins about life on the International Space Station. The two actors, Bullock and Clooney, starred in the Academy Award nominated film Gravity.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
RSC Energia sales grew by quarter in 2013 – Lopota
Interfax (1/19): Revenues at the Russian commercial space company rise by 25 percent over 2012, according to RSC Energia president Vitaly Lopota. Sales are projected to rise again in 2014. The company’s products include the Soyuz and Progress crew and cargo transport capsules that play key roles in International Space Station activities.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
A look at major space policy activities for the week ahead
Spacepolicyonline.com (1/29): Space Policy Events for January 20-24, 2014. The U.S. House and Senate are in recess.
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