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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. MIT’s Dava Newman moves closer to U.S. Senate confirmation as NASA deputy administrator. NASA’s aspirations of reaching Mars with humans slowed by high costs, according to editorial. United Space Structures touts artificial gravity generating human spacecraft. NASA approves assembly of OSIRIS-REx, an asteroid sample return spacecraft planned for a September 2016 launching. Scientists discuss implications for life on Jupiter and Saturn’s icy moons. Saturday brings a fast moving lunar eclipse. NASA readies the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator, a collection of new technologies for placing large payloads on the Martian surface, for a second high altitude summer test flight. Books, new and old, lay out space exploration agendas. NASA “no go” on a government successor to the International Space Station. U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly settles in aboard the International Space Station. China joins the small “mini shuttle” club. Virgin Galactic reports steady progress on new SpaceShipTwo and LauncherOne projects.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Newman nomination approved by Committee
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/31): The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Technology Committee approved Dava Newman’s White House nomination as NASA deputy administrator. The vote was Mar. 25, setting the stage for the nomination’s consideration by the full Senate. The deputy post at NASA has been vacant since September 2013.
Houston Chronicle (3/31): In an editorial, the newspaper applauds the start of U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly’s near one year mission aboard the International Space Station. But it finds NASA’s aspirations of reaching Mars anytime soon overstated and beyond the nation’s willingness to invest adequately.
Deep space exploration will demand artificial gravity
Forbes (3/31): Virginia’s United Space Structures proposes an artificial gravity generating space station for human asteroid mining operations. The outpost would spin to produce 0.6 G’s, enough to keep astronauts healthier for up to two years, according to the report.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Spacecraft assembly begins for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission
AmericaSpace.com (3/31): NASA clears the assembly of OSIRIS-REx, a robotic mission to the asteroid Bennu for the collection of samples that will be returned to Earth. The launching of OSIRIS-REx is set for September 2016, the return for 2023.
Icy-Moon discoveries: What they mean for alien life search
Space.com (3/31): New studies suggest Jupiter’s moon Ganymede and Saturn’s moon Enceladus harbor liquid oceans and possibly contemporary environments suitable for biological activity. Or not. Experts consider the prospects.
Preview of April 4th’s total lunar eclipse
Sky and Telescope (3/30): Best viewed from northwestern North America before dawn, Saturday’s lunar eclipse promises to be brief, no more than several minutes.
NASA takes its ‘flying saucer’ for a test spin
Los Angeles Times (3/31): At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, engineers ground tested the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD), which has a flying saucer like appearance. The inflatable structure will move to Hawaii for its second high altitude test this summer. The LDSD will rise to high altitude on a balloon, then soar to 180,000 feet with a rocket boost. That will start a descent to Pacific waters, slowing with atmospheric drag and a redesigned parachute. The flight test will determine if the device could place heavy payloads on the Martian surface.
Best space books and sci-fi: A space.com reading list
Space.com (3/31): Who’s writing about space, and how are they influencing future exploration? The website has prepared some suggested reading.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA denies it will build new Space Station with Russia
Moscow Times, of Russia (3/31): No deal has been reached between NASA and the Russian space agency to assemble a successor to the International Space Station, according to Sean Fuller, NASA’s top official in Russia. Top NASA and Roscosmos officials met late last week for the launching of NASA’s Scott Kelly, Russia’s Mikhail Kornienko and Gennady Padalka to the International Space Station.
Kelly, Kornienko settle in for marathon mission
CBS News (3/30): Scott Kelly, launched last Friday with Russian colleague Mikhail Kornienko on a near one year mission to the International Space Station, plans to pace his work schedule for the U.S. record setting venture.
Era of the ‘mini shuttle’ picks up speed with Chinese flight of Yuanzheng-1
Spaceflight Insider (3/31): China launches its own version of an unpiloted mini space shuttle on Mar. 31.Yuanzheng-1 is capable of operating for about 6.5 hours on orbit and holding multiple satellites, according to the report.
Suborbital
After accident, Virgin Galactic takes a cautious path to spaceflight
NBC News (3/31): The company reports steady progress on two projects, the assembly of a replacement for the piloted SpaceShipTwo and the commercial launch services LauncherOne. Virgin Galactic is recovering from a fatal in flight accident involving SpaceShipTwo last year. LauncherOne is an air launched rocket for placing satellites in orbit.
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