To subscribe to CSExtra via RSS feed click here.
If you would prefer to receive CSExtra in e-mail format, e-mail us at Info@space.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft reaches Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gersimenko after 10 year, four billion mile journey. NASA’s Curiosity rover marks second anniversary of dramatic Mars landing. European/Russian Mars mission planned for 2018 confronts design, funding problems. U.S. engineers see role for cubesats in lunar exploration. The challenges of updating a time honored planet naming process. Pinpointing Pluto for the New Horizons spacecraft. Defunct Soviet-era satellite burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. Florida shakes off SpaceX decision to locate commercial launch complex in South Texas.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Rosetta and Comet 67P finally meet
Spacepolicyonline.com (8/5): Early Wednesday, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta probe carried out a dramatic rendezvous with the deep space comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta will follow the two mile wide comet around the sun, dropping a lander to the surface later this year. Rosetta was launched a decade ago.
Rosetta spacecraft set for unprecedented close study of a comet
New York Times (8/5): Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft reaches comet destination after 10 year, four billion mile journey. Comet’s shape and motion provide early surprises.
How the Rosetta spacecraft will land on a comet (infographic)
Space.com (8/6): Reprised infograph explains how scientists plan for Rosetta to place a lander on the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November.
Curiosity rover celebrates second anniversary on Mars as it approaches mountain goal
Americaspace.com (8/5): NASA’s Curiosity rover marks the second anniversary of a dramatic Mars landing. Still going strong but nursing wheel ware, the rover has a mountain to climb.
Space agencies battle to keep Mars mission on track
Nature News (8/5): Joint European and Russian robotic Mars mission designed to seek evidence of life may be forced to launch in 2020 rather than 2018 because of design issues and funding problems.
Aviation Week & Space Technology (8/5): Engineers, scientists find the Earth’s moon a valuable destination for cubesat missions. One assignment could have the small satellites smashing into targeted areas of the lunar surface to reveal the presence of frozen water.
You won’t meet the Beatles in space
New York Times (8/4): The challenge of naming hundreds of new alien planet discoveries — tagging them with names the casual astronomer can establish a connection with, without disrupting time honored protocols.
Radio telescope pinpoints Pluto for spacecraft buddy
Space.com (8/5): Radio telescope astronomers develop a precise location for distant Pluto. NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft is on course to become the first manmade object to flyby in mid-July 2015. “…it helps to have a precision lock on a celestial body’s location so you don’t miss your flyby encounter or even hit it,” explains a scientist involved in the radio astronomy project.
Low Earth Orbit
Soviet-era military satellite Kosmos-1151 burns up in atmosphere – Defense Ministry
Itar-Tass, of Russia (8/5): Soviet era satellite burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere over the Antarctic.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Despite SpaceX plans, Nelson pushes for Brevard launches
Florida Today (8/5): U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson offers fellow Floridians assurances that despite SpaceX’s decision to construct a commercial launch complex in South Texas, their state will continue to draw significant new commercial space business.
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.
