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Thursday’s CSExtra presents a roundup of the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from around the globe. In Russia, experts are scrambling to salvage a Mars mission stranded in Earth orbit with tons of toxic fuel on board. NASA conducts a showcase test firing of the powerful J-2X rocket, a propulsion stage intended to power astronauts on future deep space missions. Former NASA astronauts urge Congress to fund NASA’s commercial crew space transportation initiative. The European Space Agency unveils plans to cut spending by 25 percent over the next five years to help deal with global economic issues. The Justice Department issues indictments in a computer “click jacking” scheme that affected NASA computer use. China launches an Earth observation satellite. Mars shines brightly.
1. From the Associated Press via the Houston Chronicle and others: A Russian Mars probe, launched Tuesday, continued to circle the Earth on Wednesday, while engineers huddled to find a way to ignite rocket engines and send the probe on its way. The spacecraft is loaded with 12 tons of toxic fuel and will soon plummet to Earth uncontrollably. U. S. experts say the fuel will likely burn up in the atmosphere.
A. From the New York Times: Signs of possible difficulties with the complex mission were apparent before launch. The spacecraft could re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere within days to weeks. NASA was prepared to help with communications and tracking, if requested.
http://nyti.ms/sFt6Qn
B. From the Washington Post: When it comes to Mars, Russia is battling a jinx that dates back to Soviet days. On Wednesday, engineers scrambled to salvage the mission launched a day earlier to retrieve soil samples from the Martian moon Phobos. All but two of 18 missions launched to Mars by Russia or the Soviet Union since 1960 have failed. Two that reached their destination transmitted data back only briefly.
http://wapo.st/tZaAeS
C. From Time Magazine: More than half of all Mars missions meet failure. NASA, no stranger to Mars mission losses, is preparing to launch its latest flight to the Red Planet. The Mars Science Laboratory rover, also known as Curiosity, is scheduled for a Nov. 25 lift off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The rover would reach the Martian surface in August to determine if environmental conditions at Gale Crater are/were suitable for microbial life.
2. From Spaceflightnow.com: At NASA’s Stennis Space Center, engineers conduct a 500 second full duration test firing of the J-2X rocket. The J-2X will serve as the second stage of NASA’s Space Launch System, the large rocket that will launch the Orion/Multipurpose Crew Vehicle on missions of deep space exploration. Origins of the J-2X reach back to the Saturn V moon rocket.
http://bit.ly/toQJ8A
A. From the Huntsville Times: One NASA astronaut involved in the J-2X project says he’s ready to ride the new rocket.
http://bit.ly/vx50hu
3. From Spacepolitics.com: Nearly two dozen former U.S. astronauts urge Congress to fund the Obama Administration’s request for $850 million in commercial crew initiative funding for 2012.
http://bit.ly/sw3J5B
4. From Space News: The European Space Agency looks to a 25 percent reduction in spending over the next five years as member nations adjust to global economic turmoil. The reductions will affect spending on science, Earth observation, the space station and other programs, according to the publication.
http://bit.ly/sQpgms
5. From the Los Angeles Times: The Justice Department charged seven foreigners in connection with a computer “click jacking” scheme on Wednesday. Millions of computers from more than 100 countries were infected with a virus that redirected Internet use to false sites. The re-directions gained those charged with an estimated $14 million. NASA computers were among those attacked.
http://lat.ms/vE93wY
6. From Xinhua.net of China: China successfully launches a pair of satellites, one for Earth observations.
http://bit.ly/rHnmjO
7. From Space.com: Mars shines brightly in the night/early morning sky. The website suggests where to observe.
http://bit.ly/uG8t4T
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