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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden pressed by Congress for answers on Orion’s readiness for possible International Space Station missions. NASA’s Orion/Space Launch System human deep space exploration strategy includes new ATK launch abort system — a safety feature for future astronauts. Kennedy Space Center’s Apollo and Space Shuttle countdown clock giving way to big screen replacement. NASA’s MAVEN mission finds threat to Martian atmosphere from solar wind. Italian dark matter observatory due an upgrade. Sun displays a Halloween face. Two U.S. astronauts prepped for a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. U.S. Air Force X-37B nears a California touchdown after near two year secretive mission. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield out with new book of Earth views from the International Space Station. Planet Labs blanketing the globe with camera toting CubeSats.
Human Deep Space Exploration
New NASA Authorization Bill still in work, House Committee questions Orion plans
Spacepolicyonline.com (10/15): Will NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle be equipped to dock with the International Space Station? U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee chairman Lamar Smith seeks clarification from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on the matter, as the House panel works with the Senate on a new authorization measure for 2014. The 2010 NASA authorization legislation sought as much. NASA’s response may influence funding levels for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, which seeks to end U. S. reliance on Russia for crew transportation to the International Space Station.
EFT-1 to boost ATK Launch Abort System test path
NASAspaceflight.com (10/14): ATK is developing the Launch Abort System, a key astronaut safety feature, for NASA’s new Orion crew exploration vehicle and Space Launch System heavy lift rocket. Work on a key test of the LAS planned for 2019 is on schedule.
KSC countdown clock ticks down to final T-0
Florida Today (10/15): The iconic countdown clock at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will soon be replaced by a modern big screen version familiar to sports fans at major stadiums and visitors to New York’s Times Square. The departing timer has graced the space center landscape since the Apollo era.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Mars’ atmosphere is leeching out into space
Discovery.com (10/14): NASA’s MAVEN mission spacecraft maneuvered into orbit around the red planet on Sept. 21. Follow-up maneuvers are placing the spacecraft in a desired orbit for science observations. Meanwhile, science instrument commissioning is underway. However, scientists were prepared Tuesday to announce some early results from a mission intended to identify changes in the Martian atmosphere.
MAVEN captures solar storm hitting Mars, prepares for comet flyby
Los Angeles Times (10/14): NASA’s MAVEN Mars orbiter observes as the force of a solar eruption reaches the red planet. MAVEN maneuvered into orbit around Mars on Sept. 21 to begin a commissioning phase.
Upgrade set for dark-matter detector
Physics World.com (10/14): Ground based observatory will be upgraded to advance study of dark matter.
Spooky skies: NASA releases image of jack-o’-lantern sun
USA Today (10/14): Oct. 8 photo shows sun as grinning fiery pumpkin.
Low Earth Orbit
All-Navy spacewalk team set for ambitious EVA-28 on Wednesday
America Space (10/14): NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, both active members of the U.S. Navy, were set to embark Wednesday on a six to seven hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The two men will replace a failed voltage regulator as well as cameras, light fixtures and antennas outside the Station’s U.S. segment.
A super-secret spacecraft comes back to Earth after two years
Bloomberg (10/14): Secretive U.S. Air Force X-37B spacecraft is expected to descend imminently from orbit to a landing after nearly two years of flight. Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is the announced landing site.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield shares his favorite photos from space
Space.com (10/15): Canada’s first International Space Station commander Chris Hadfield debuts a new book today, You Are Here: Around the World in 92 minutes. The book features 150 photos he snapped of the Earth from his 2012-13 mission. In all, he shot 45,000 photographs, many of them shared with followers through social media.
Name a flying space robot, and win a prize from NASA
NBC News (10/15): NASA seeks help in naming new free flying robot destined for the International Space Station. Delivery is set for 2017. Winning name could be worth $1,000.
Huge flock of mini satellites aims to photograph the entire Earth every day
Wired.com (10/14): Planet Labs turns a page in Earth observation with the launching of camera carrying CubeSats. The San Francisco-based company’s goal is to loft 71 of the spacecraft to image the Earth every 24 hours.
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