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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. The U.S. Senate is expected to follow the House with approval of a budget continuing resolution effective until Dec. 11 to prevent an Oct. 1 shutdown of the federal government. NASA’s embrace of Boeing and SpaceX to complete the development of commercial human low Earth orbit transportation services could free the space agency to pursue new deep space exploration goals. A new study suggests lunar explorers could be more mobile with trimmer space suit attire. NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft is prepared for a Sept. 21 maneuver into orbit around Mars. NASA’s Dawn probe is slowed slightly in its journey to the asteroid Ceres. An ultra-small galaxy reveals a surprisingly large black hole. NASA splits delivery of U.S. space suit batteries to the International Space Station. Editorial urges Congress to back NASA’s competitive approach to commercial crew transportation services. United Launch Alliance partners with Blue Origin to develop a new rocket engine, a domestic alternative to imports of Russia’s RD-180 rocket engine. Midland, Texas airport receives FAA spaceport license.
NASA 2015 Budget
Senate expected to pass CR tomorrow; could consider NASA authorization
Spacepolicyonline.com (9/17): The U.S. House on Wednesday passed a budget continuing resolution that will keep the federal government operating beyond the Oct. 1 start of the 2015 fiscal year. The U.S. Senate may act on the measure as well on Thursday in order to keep federal agencies operating at 2014 spending levels until Dec. 11.The Senate may also act on a new NASA authorization bill. The House passed a version in June. NASA’s most recent authorization, in 2010, outlined developments of the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and the Orion crew exploration vehicle.
Human Deep Space Exploration
How private space taxis for astronauts could help NASA reach Mars
Space.com (9/17): Contracts awarded by NASA his week to Boeing and SpaceX for low Earth orbit commercial human transportation services promise to free NASA to focus on human deep space exploration, the website reports. NASA is at work on development of the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and Orion crew capsule to reach an asteroid, then Mars with human explorers.
NASA astronauts tested how fast humans can run on the moon
The Verge (9/17): A NASA study reveals astronauts could be more gingerly in their movements on the moon than evident in the activities of the Apollo astronauts. The study, published in Journal of Experimental Biology, suggests the Apollo space suits were so cumbersome they restrained the world’s first lunar explorers. The studies were carried out using astronauts on a NASA zero-G aircraft.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
MAVEN preps for orbital insertion
Spaceflight Insider (9/17): “So far, so good,” says a NASA official as MAVEN, launched 10 months ago, prepares to maneuver into orbit around the red planet on Sept. 21. MAVEN was developed to study long term changes in the Martian atmosphere and environment.
Radiation blast delays NASA spacecraft’s arrival at dwarf planet Ceres
Universe Today (9/17): The Ceres asteroid bound Dawn spacecraft slipped into safe mode last week, after the ion propulsion system was overwhelmed by radiation. Though a computer reset resolved the problems, Dawn’s rendezvous with Ceres has been delayed by a month — or an estimated April 2015. Dawn lifted off on its mission to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres on Sept. 27, 2007.
Monster black hole found in tiny galaxy
Nature News (9/17): Astronomers spot an unusually small galaxy with a gigantic black hole, raising the prospect that there are more. The Galaxy M60-UCD1 is 54 million light years away.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA hedges on critical suit battery resupply
America Space (9/16): NASA divides delivery of new U.S. space suit batteries between the scheduled launch of the 4th SpaceX resupply mission to the International Space Station on Saturday and a Russian Soyuz crew transport mission set for a Sept. 25 lift off. In early August, NASA said it was delaying the re-start of NASA maintenance spacewalks outside the station until it could replace rechargeable batteries. A defect in the suit batteries was discovered during ground testing. NASA curtailed maintenance spacewalks in July 2013 after cooling system water leaked into the helmet of a U.S. space suit worn by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Keep money, momentum behind private space plan
Orlando Sentinel (9/18): In an editorial, the Florida newspaper urges lawmakers to sustain their support for two NASA fostered Commercial Crew Program partners, Boeing and SpaceX, to end the nation’s post shuttle reliance on Russia for the transportation of astronauts to the International Space Station. Competition in the long run should be a factor in holding down costs, according to the newspaper. Some in Congress believe it’s time for NASA to move ahead with one rather than two companies. NASA’s timetable has the U.S. launching astronauts to the Space Station on Boeing’s CST-100 and the SpaceX Dragon by late 2017. The shuttle was retired in mid-2011.
ULA to invest in Blue Origin engine as RD-180 replacement for Atlas 5
Space News (9/17): United Launch Alliance turns to Blue Origin and its founder Jeff Bezos for the development of a domestic alternative to Russia’s RD-180 rocket engine, the BE-4. The RD-180 powers ULA’s Atlas 5 first stage. Tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s annexation of Crimea in the Ukraine threaten to jeopardize future imports of the vintage rocket engine. Tests of Blue Origin’s BE-4 could begin in 2016.
ULA, Blue Origin announce partnership on U.S. alternative to RD-180 engine
Spacepolicyonline.com (9/18): United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin announce a propulsion partnership to develop a U.S. alternative to Russia’s RD-180 rocket engine, which powers ULA’s Atlas 5 first stage. Blue Origin’s new reusable BE-4 is four years from first flight. The new engine, already three years in development, burns liquid oxygen and methane contained in liquid natural gas. The BE-4 will gradually replace the RD-180s, officials from the two companies explained.
Jeff Bezos plans ’21st-century’ rocket engine
Seattle Times (9/17): Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engine represents a 21st Century alternative to Russia’s vintage RD-180 rocket engine, according to the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos. Working with United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin is prepared to take on the final development of a new U.S. rocket engine for the Atlas 5 and other launch vehicles.
Suborbital
FAA awards spaceport license to Texas airport
Space News (9/17): The Federal Aviation Administration issues a spaceport license to the airport in Midland in West Texas. XCOR, of Mohave, Calif., plans a move many of its activities to Midland. Only nine licenses of the type have been issued previously, the publication reports.
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