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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Family chat, frustration over human exploration launches NASA’s Morpheus planetary lander. NASA commercial space transportation efforts look to moon next. Best ways to find lunar ice. Global space economy, spurred by commercial activities, grows by 4 percent in 2013. Space Station astronauts cultivate lettuce. Russia cannot manage International Space Station alone, says NASA administrator Charles Bolden tells Berlin audience. Pondering an orbital FAA. Florida lawmakers okay $42.5 million for space, including improvements to space shuttle runway for commercial users. Central Florida launches new space themed tourism campaign. Aerojet Rocketdyne to furnish rockets for new U.S. air launch system for satellites.
Human Deep Space Exploration
A father-son chat leads to first-of-its-kind NASA spacecraft
CNN (5/19): NASA’s Project Morpheus, the prototype for a manned or unmanned planetary lander, had its roots in a father son chat and an urge to advance human exploration.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
The future of NASA’s commercial partnerships
The Space Review (5/19): Where next for the commercial partnership initiative NASA started with the Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems program that spawned the SpaceX Dragon and Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus re-supply missions to the International Space Station? There’s the Commercial Crew Program currently underway and then there is the agency’s new Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown (CATALYST) program. CATYLST could put the private sector on the moon.
New study: Chipping away at the Moon’s ice resource
Coalition for Space Exploration (5/19): Small satellites could play a key role in the detection of lunar ice deposits, according to a new study from the Keck Institute for Space Science.
Low Earth Orbit
Space Foundation: Space economy grew by 4 percent in 2013
Spacepolicyonline.com (5/13): Global space economy reaches a record $314.17 billion in 2013, according to an annual assessment from the Space Foundation. The commercial sector lead the growth, according to the analysis.
Space Station’s veggies are “grow” for launch
Universe Today (5/19): International Space Station astronauts turn on lettuce growing experiment. Efforts could lead to fresh food for space travelers.
NASA: Russia alone can’t end space station work
Associated Press and Washington Post (5/19): In remarks at the Berlin Air Show, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says no one country involved in the International Space Station partnership can end the program. His remarks come in response to Russian threats to pull out in 2020, stalling a U.S. initiative to extend operations by four years.
The troubled fate of the International Space Station
Huffington Post (5/19): The International Space Station could face an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere without Russian participation in the partnership. Last week, a high ranking Russian officials called for an end in 2020 as retaliation for U.S. economic sanctions tied to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Russia’s Progress cargo ships provide fuel and propulsion to keep the six person ISS in orbit.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
The quest for on-orbit authority
The Space Review (5/19): A growing commercial interest in orbital space raises a question: Who should manage the traffic. Some suggest the FAA, which licenses launches and landings. Others wonder if it would be better to wait and see.
Florida lawmakers OK $42.5 million for space projects
Space News (5/19): Florida legislative investments will bring upgrades to NASA’s shuttle runway at the Kennedy Space Center for commercial users. They are part of an overall $77.1 billion state budget for the 2015 fiscal year that begins July 1.
‘I Need My Space’ social media promotion launches
Florida Today (5/19): Central Florida launches social media campaign with a space theme to increase tourism. Tourism adds an estimated $2.86 billion a year to the Brevard County economy and is responsible for 20,900 local jobs.
Aerojet Rocketdyne lands Stratolaunch satellite launch contract
Sacramento Business Journal (5/19): Stratolaunch Systems Inc., selects Aerojet Rocketdyne to provide the rocket engines for an air launch system designed to place satellites into Earth orbit. First launch of the Thunderbolt rocket is planned for 2018.
Brought to you by the Coalition for Space Exploration, CSExtra is a daily compilation of space industry news selected from hundreds of online media resources. The Coalition is not the author or reporter of any of the stories appearing in CSExtra and does not control and is not responsible for the content of any of these stories. The content available through CSExtra contains links to other websites and domains which are wholly independent of the Coalition, and the Coalition makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information contained in any such site or domain and does not pre-screen or approve any content. The Coalition does not endorse or receive any type of compensation from the included media outlets and is not responsible or liable in any way for any content of CSExtra or for any loss, damage or injury incurred as a result of any content appearing in CSExtra. For information on the Coalition, visit www.space.com or contact us via e-mail at Info@space.com.
