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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. U.S. House approves compromise budget measure; long term impact on space spending uncertain. Water erupts on Jupiter’s moon Europa, raising new speculation Europa has conditions favorable for life. Sun’s maximum period of solar activity actually weakest in a century. China’s first asteroid rendezvous. Phosphorus, an element essential for life, detected in deep space. And so is the unusually stable noble gas, argon. NASA’s space station managers confront external coolant system breakdown, ponder delay of Orbital Sciences cargo delivery. Spacewalk repairs may be necessary. Scientists work around space station cooling issue to protect science experiments. U.S. faces multiple hurricane satellite sentry failures, experts tell U.S. Senate. Earth’s ozone hole may mend by 2070. Geminid meteor shower peaks. Great Britain and China forge stronger ties in space. Congressional auditors reject protest from Blue Origin over possible NASA lease of former space shuttle launch pad 39A to commercial operator SpaceX.
Human Deep Space Exploration
House passes FY2014 budget deal
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/12): The U.S. House passes the Ryan-Murray compromise budget plan on Thursday, a two-year deal. The U.S. Senate response is unclear, but President Obama has signaled support for the measure that would avoid another government shutdown and introduce spending stability for 2014-15, according to the Washington website.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Hubble discovers water plumes over Europa
Discovery.com (12/12): The Hubble Space Telescope finds signatures of water in eruptive plumes rising from the South Pole of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Europa has long been a target of speculation that it hosts conditions favorable for some form of life. Findings reported at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San Francisco.
Jupiter moon Europa may have water geysers taller than Everest
Space.com (12/12): Hubble Space Telescope spots eruptive activity on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Geyser soars 20 times as high as Mt Everest.
Planetary Society (12/12): The California planetary exploration advocates call on the Administration and Congress to mount a new mission to explore the potential for life on Europa in light of the Hubble findings. “…there will be innovations and economic benefits. What if there are signs of life there?” according to the Planetary Society.
Sun’s current solar activity cycle is weakest in a century
Space.com (12/11): It may be solar max in terms of the sun’s eruptive behavior. However, the “max” is pretty tame.
Probe’s close shave with asteroid flyby
AFP via ioL scietech (12/13): China’s Chang’e-2 spacecraft swooped within 1,000 meters of the asteroid 4179 Toutatis on Dec. 13, 2012 to find this regular asteroid visitor more a rubble pile than a single object. China’s first asteroid flyby is described in the journal Science Reports.
Element essential for life found in supernova remains
Space.com (12/12): Astronomers spot the signature of phosphorus with a California Institute of Technology observatory around the target star Casseoipia A. The find may shed new light on how life emerges in the universe.
First noble-gas molecules found in space
Physics World.com (12/12): Argon, a noble gas, is spotted in deep space, all by accident. The discovery confirms predictions that argon, like other chemical elements, is forged in the explosion of dying stars.
Low Earth Orbit
ISS managers mull coolant system repair options
CBS News (12/12): International Space Station managers deal with a cooling system breakdown aboard the six person International Space Station. The failure of an ammonia flow control valve has disrupted the Loop A cooling system. While efforts by ground based experts are under way to make repairs, the station is vulnerable to a second failure involving Loop B.
Huntsville Times (12/12): On Wednesday, the International Space Station encountered a worrisome cooling system disruption. At the Marshall Space Flight Center’s payload operation center, personnel strive overnight to prevent damage to the many science experiment underway aboard the orbital outpost.
NASA: Space station cooling malfunction may delay private cargo ship launch
Space.com (12/12): Cooling system problems aboard the International Space Station may delay the scheduled Dec. 18 launching of an Orbital Sciences Corp. commercial re-supply mission. Orbital’s launch period extends to Dec 21, possibly Dec. 22.
Launch to resupply space station could face delays.
USA Today (12/12): Space Station mission managers mull spacewalk to make cooling system repairs.
Satellite failures threaten hurricane forecasts, Senate panel told
Orlando Sentinel (12/12): Multiple civilian satellite failures over the next four years might jeopardize U. S. hurricane forecasting, experts tell a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday.
New mandates put the squeeze on NASA core Earth science missions
Space News (12/12): NASA’s Earth Sciences Division takes on new solar and land observing duties from NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey with a minimal increase in funding, space agency Earth Sciences lead Michael Freilich tells the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San Francisco.
Ozone hole won’t heal until 2070, NASA finds
Space.com (12/12): Scientists offer results of latest studies before the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San Francisco this week.
Geminid meteor shower — it’s underway
Spaceweather.com (12/13): The Geminids, a strong annual meteor show, is peaking.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Britain deepens ties to China’s space sector
Space News (12/12): Great Britain strengthens business times with China. China looks like a favorable market for space services.
GAO denies Blue Origin’s bid protest of pad 39A lease
Space News (12/12): The U.S. Government Accountability Office rejects a protest from Blue Origin over the commercial lease of a former space shuttle launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing for commercial use of the launch pad 39A. SpaceX wants exclusive use; Blue Origin seeks a shared use arrangement.
GAO decision opens door for commercial lease of pad 39A
Spaceflightnow.com (12/12): U.S. General Accountability Office ruling permits NASA to proceed with lease of former space shuttle pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to either SpaceX or Blue Origin.
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