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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA’s Space Launch System “on track” to meet critical 2014 milestones. Russia to decide soon on new heavy lift rocket. NASA sun-Earth video wins prestigious award. Cameras on the Mars rover Curiosity spot the distant Earth and moon in the Martian night sky as well as a vast valley panorama. Kepler planet hunters selected for Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy. International Space Station astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins, both of NASA, speak to the U.S. bobsled team on the eve of the opening of the Sochi Winter Olympics. Space station’s multi-national crew plans to watch Sochi competition. Astronaut, NFL pro and top NASA educator Leland Melvin to depart space agency. Federal Aviation Administration urges greater regulation of U.S. commercial space operations. A European Ariane 5 launch lifts off with two communications satellites. Lady Gaga to sell spare Virgin Galactic ticket.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Huntsville Times (2/6): 2014 is a critical year for NASA’s Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and the agency’s multi-contractor development team. SLS Prime contractors Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Aerojet Rocketdyne and ATK – issued a joint statement Thursday saying they’ve met with NASA “to ensure the teams are on track.” NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, of Huntsville, Ala., leads the SLS development effort.
Russia may make decision on new super-heavy carrier rocket shortly
Itar-Tass, of Russia (2/7): Russia should decide soon on the development of a new heavy lift rocket with a lift capability of 80 to 160 metric tons, according to Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Chief Oleg Ostapenko said. “We are working on this matter very closely with the Russian Academy of Sciences,” he said.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
NASA Sun-Earth video wins International Science Challenge
Space.com (2/7): Dynamic Earth, a NASA video, wins key prize for its explanation of the relationship between the sun and the Earth’s climate. Actor Liam Neeson narrates the brief award winner.
Curiosity rover sees Earth from Mars for 1st time (photos)
Space.com (1/6): Cameras aboard NASA’s Mars Curiosity spot and capture an image of the Earth (and the Earth’s moon) — a first.
Curiosity rover’s epic new panorama of the sands of Mars
Wired.com (2/6): On Mars, cameras aboard NASA’s Curiosity rover scans a valley from a sand dune.
National Space Club honors Kepler’s planet hunters
NASA (2/6): NASA’s Kepler space telescope mission, launched in 2009, will be honored with the National Space Club’s preeminent award, the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy, in March for its prolific discovery of planets in solar systems far from the Earth.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA astronauts talk space fitness with U.S. Olympic bobsled team
Space.com (1/6): International Space Station astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins, both of NASA, speak with members of the U. S. Olympic bob sled team in Sochi, Russia before the start of the Winter Games. The topic was staying in shape. The Olympic torch made its way to Sochi by way of the International Space Station earlier this year.
Astronauts to watch Winter Olympic Games from Space Station
Space.com (1/6): The Winter Games got under way late Thursday from Sochi, Russia. The U.S., Russian and Japanese astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station are sure to focus on the programming beamed to them, says NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio. Hockey, for sure, is sure to evoke friendly rivalries, he says.
Shuttle veteran, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Education leaving
Spaceflight Insider (2/6): Leland Melvin, former NASA astronaut and one time NFL player, will depart the space agency at month’s end after 25 years. Melvin’s message of study hard, dream large held a special significance for those who believe in the value of the science, technology, engineering and math fields. “His innate ability to bring people together has helped forge partnerships with both traditional and non-traditional organizations,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden of Melvin. “Building a network that broadly shares and leverages individual strengths and capabilities to deliver more robust STEM education content and eliminate duplication of effort has been instrumental in this era of fiscal challenges.”
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Red tape in outer space? More regulations could be on way
Orlando Sentinel (2/6): With an expected surge in U.S. commercial space activities, it’s time to close the regulatory gap between the launch and re-entry of space vehicles, FAA officials tells a congressional hearing and industrial conference in Washington this week. The Federal Aviation Administration carries out similar regulation of U.S. air space.
Arianespace successfully delivers its 250th launch
Forbes.com (2/6): An Ariane 5 launch from French Guiana on Thursday succeeds in placing two communications satellites in orbit, one for Asian Broadcast Satellite and one for Athena-Fidus. Lift off of the company’s 250th commercial mission was at 4:30 p.m., EST.
Suborbital
Lady Gaga – Lady Gaga selling spare space ticket
Contactmusic.com (1/6): The performer will sell a spare ticket for a launch to suborbital space aboard Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. The ticket was purchased by Gaga before she was signed to sing in flight as part of New Mexico’s Zero G Colony tech festival in 2015, according to the publication.
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