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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Orion flight test vehicle reaches heat shield 2014 pre-launch milestone. NASA/Aerojet Rocketdyne demonstrate 3D manufacturing technologies for the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket. Time for space suit upgrades? NASA and Arizona State University join to sponsor public forums on the asteroid impact threat and future human space exploration. Japan readies second asteroid sample return mission. NASA extends seven deep space missions. Pluto bound New Horizons mission seeks post flyby destinations. Opportunity Mars rover due computer overhaul. Curiosity receives YouTube tribute. Russia’s Foton M4 two month space biology mission lands early with dead geckos. SETI pioneer Jill Tarter predicts Earth will broadcast greetings. U.S./Russia major disaster agreement includes asteroid threat. Orbiting U.S. Air Force X-37B flies on. Robonaut 2 gets legs. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program announcement looms. California ponders Mojave Air and Spaceport overhaul. Major space related activities anticipated in the days ahead.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Heat protecting back shell tiles installed on NASA’s Orion EFT-1 spacecraft set for Dec. 2014 launch
Universe Today (8/30): Assembly milestone at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center signals progress by Lockheed Martin and NASA in preparing an unpiloted Orion capsule for a December test flight launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
NASA and contractors accelerate testing on 3D printed rocket engine component
Spaceflight Insider (8/31): Aerojet Rocketdyne joins with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to demonstrate the performance of 3-D manufactured rocket injectors. Additive manufacturing may contribute significantly to the production of the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket, a crucial element of U.S. future human deep space exploration planning.
Revolution in spaceflight requires new spacesuits (op-ed)
Space.com (8/28): The advent of commercial human spaceflight will require less expensive and complex as well as more flexible space suits, according to op-ed. Option of moving ahead without space suit protection is not a common sense option, writes Ted Southern, President, Final Frontier Design
Citizen forums on asteroids – you’re invited!
Coalition for Space Exploration (9/1): NASA joins with Arizona State University to sponsor a series of public forums on the asteroid impact hazards and the future of human deep space exploration. The discussions will include online participation.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
New probe Hayabusa 2 revealed in quest to collect more asteroid samples
Asahi Shimbun (9/1): The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency unveils Hayabusa 2 due for a possible launching late this year on a mission to gather samples from the asteroid 1999 JU3, a nearly spherical body about 900 meters in diameter. Hayabusa 2 is expected to return to Earth with is samples in 2020. Hayabusa 1 did as much in 2010, returning with samples of the asteroid Itokawa.
Curiosity, Cassini among 7 extended planetary missions
Space News (8/29): Seven NASA missions receive an agency okay for extensions, most of them focused on Mars. The lineup includes the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and a space plasma analyzer on the European Mars Express Orbiter, NASA Cassini mission at Saturn and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Follow-up destinations considered for New Horizons
Spaceflightnow.com (8/31): Thanks to the powers of the Hubble Space Telescope, experts behind the first robotic mission to distant Pluto are looking for secondary destinations within the Kuiper Belt. The NASA funded mission, launched in 2006, is on a course to flyby Pluto on July 14, 2015.
Mars rover Opportunity to have memory wiped
Discovery.com (8/31): NASA’s Opportunity rover, trekking across the Martian surface since 2004, is due a computer reformatting in September. Engineers expect the maintenance to cut down on the number of computer resets. Initially, Opportunity’s mission was to span just 90 days.
“Our Curiosity” piques science interest online
Denver Post (8/31): New YouTube video pays tribute to NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover.
All space geckos die aboard Russian space flight
Moscow Times (9/2): Russia’s two month Foton M4 biology satellite mission ends early with unfortunate results for a payload that included geckos and other small organisms. The geckos died. Fruit flies on the mission survived and reproduced during the 44-day orbital ordeal.
The alien whisperer: Jill Tarter on 38 years of hunting for E.T.
Popular Science (8/29): The co-founder of SETI and inspiration for the feature film Contact predicts humanity will switch from listening for signals broadcast by intelligent alien civilizations to broadcasting one.
Russia, U.S. establish information exchange for emergency situations
Ria Novosti (8/29): Russia and the U.S. agree to exchange information on large scale natural and manmade disasters, including asteroid and comet impact threats. Parties to the agreement include the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM) and the FEMA in the U.S.
Astronomy Now (8/29): Asteroid with small chance of collision with Earth in 2049 made a pass on Saturday.
Low Earth Orbit
U.S. Air Force’s secretive X-37B space plane passes 600 days in orbit
Space.com (8/29): Secretive U.S. Air Force winged X-37B passes 600 day mark in its secretive orbital mission. The third flight of the Air Force program began with a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 lift off on Dec. 11, 2012.
Space notebook: Robonaut 2 gets legs, New Horizons Pluto-bound
Florida Today (8/30): Just before Labor Day, International Space Station commander Steve Swanson installed legs on Robonaut 2, the NASA/General Motors humanoid launched to the station in early 2011. R2 was initially restricted to a stanchion inside the station. The new legs will allow the 8 foot tall robot to use foot-like grippers to move about the inside of the station by locking onto hand rails. A spacewalk is planned for some future time.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Decision on Commercial Crew Program likely to be made after Labor Day weekend
Spaceflight Insider (8/29): Boeing, Sierra Nevada and SpaceX await a decision from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on one or two choices to carry out the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability or “CCtCap” contract phase. The new contract(s) will initiate U.S. crew transportation services to low Earth orbit destinations, starting with the International Space Station.
NASA’s choice to fly crews to ISS coming any day now
Florida Today (8/30): NASA’s Commercial Crew Program selections for the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract phase are likely to contribute to a post shuttle revival for Florida’s space coast, while ending Russian monopoly on human transportation to low Earth orbit.
Suborbital
Bold plan proposed to overhaul Mojave
Parabolic Arc (8/29): Plan for upgrades that would draw researchers and tourists to the rustic airport/spaceport circulate in Sacramento, California’s capitol. Not all agree the flight test site is due an overhaul.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for September 1-12, 2014
Spacepolicyonline.com: A look at post-Labor Day space related activities. In the U.S, Congress reconvenes on Sept. 8. Passage of a long running U.S. budget continuing resolution is anticipated. The 2014 federal fiscal year draws to a close on Sept. 30, and without a CR, the government would face a shutdown.
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