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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. U.S. top spender on space. Huntsville key to NASA’s deep space ambitions. Ionizing radiation poses threat to space colonization. Huge sun spot generating solar flares. Florida launch team celebrates landmark 1953 Redstone rocket launch. New PBS documentary examines rise of women in space. Orbital Sciences readies cargo mission launch to the International Space Station from Virginia’s eastern shore. Russian, U.S. cargo capsules depart the space station. 3-D printing technology contributes to domestic alternative to Russian RD-180 rocket engine. Russia’s Proton rocket prepared for commercial comeback. Google Exec Alan Eustace breaks Felix Baumgartner’s sky dive record. Major space related activities scheduled for the week ahead.
Human Deep Space Exploration
The U.S. still spends more on space than every other country combined
The Washington Post (10/25): U.S., China, Russia, India and Japan are the top spenders, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Though at the top, U.S. spending is down slightly.
The Coalition for Space Exploration (10/25): An Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study finds that the oldest space faring nations face growing challenges as lower costs and technological advances draw more countries and companies into the sector, giving rise to burgeoning commercial space industry.
Huntsville still the ‘Rocket City’ as NASA aims for Mars: guest opinion
Alabama.com (10/26): In an op-ed, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden praises the Marshall Space Flight Center and its employees for their efforts to advance U.S. deep space exploration aspirations with support for the Space Launch System, Orion and Commercial Crew programs as well as research aboard the International Space Station.
Roscosmos to test its Moon base on Earth
Russia Today (10/26): Russia plans to support its post 2030 human lunar exploration objectives with a terrestrial analog base.
Infertile field of Mars? Colonization plans marred by gravity, radiation fears
Ria Novosti, of Russia (10/25): Effects of ionizing radiation in space could challenge plans to colonize Mars with humans by restricting reproduction.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Huge solar flare erupts from biggest sunspot in 24 years (photos)
Space.com (10/25): Multiple solar flares emerge from largest sun spot in two decades. The blemish formed earlier this month. The solar eruptions have had some impact on broadcast transmissions.
Spaceweather.com (10/27): Giant sunspot AR 2192 ramps up solar flare activity.
Low Earth Orbit
Original Redstone launch team recalls start of modern space program
Florida Today (10/24): The Redstone rocket flight of Aug. 20, 1953, was a stage setter for the first U.S. satellite launch and the launching of the first American astronaut. Some of the surviving launch team members gathered recently to reminisce over the flight. “…we’re the first and only generation that has experienced the entire space program,” noted one. “After us, there’s nobody that lived through those early days.”
PBS ‘Makers’ film looks at women in space
Boston Globe (10/25): The new PBS documentary, Michael Epstein’s Makers: Women in Space, exams the emerging role of women in the U.S. space program. During the program’s earliest days, women more qualified than men were excluded.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Orbital Sciences readies SS Deke Slayton for resupply run to International Space Station
Spaceflight Insider (10/27): Orbital Sciences Corp. prepares to launch the company’s third commercial re-supply mission to the six person International Space Station from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. Lift off is set for Monday at 6:44 p.m., EDT, with about 5,000 pounds of scientific equipment and other supplies.
Russian Progress M-24M cargo spacecraft undocks from ISS
TASS, of Russia (10/27): Russia’s 56 Progress re-supply capsule departed the International Space Station early Monday. The departure opens a docking port for Wednesday’s launch of the 57 Progress automated re-supply ship from Kazakhstan with 2 1/2 tons of supplies.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, mission complete, returns home
Spaceflight Insider (10/25): The International Space Station’s most recent U.S. commercial cargo mission capsule departed the six person orbiting science lab early Saturday and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean with nearly 3,300 pounds of research equipment and other hardware.
How 3-D printing could help replace Russian rockets
Defense One via Space News (10/26): Aerojet Rocketdyne and Dynetics, Inc., have developed a 3-D printing strategy for a domestic alternative to Russia’s RD-180 rocket engine. Future imports of the RD-180 have been jeopardize by Russian actions in the Ukraine.
ILS plans to return Proton to commercial service next month
Spaceflightnow.com (10/25): Russia’s venerable Proton rocket could resume commercial satellite launches in late November. A May failure prompted a launch suspension. Proton missions resumed with Russian government payloads on Sept. 27.
Suborbital
Google exec’s stratospheric plunge breaks world record
Scientific American (10/24): Google executive Alan Eustace, strapped into a harness beneath a giant helium balloon that rose high into the Earth’s stratosphere, leaped Friday after reaching an altitude of 135,908 feet, or more than 25 miles high. The leap occurred near Roswell, N.M.
Google executive Alan Eustace breaks Baumgartner’s parachute record
Spacepolicyonline.com (10/24): Alan Eustace’s sky diving leap on Friday breaks a record of 127,852 feet set just two years ago by Felix Baumgartner for Red Bull. Eustace donned a specially designed “spacesuit” for his ascent to the stratosphere. The protective StratEx suit was developed by Paragon Space Development Corp. and its associates.
Record-breaking supersonic skydive from ‘near-space’ in photos
Space.com (10/26): Alan Eustace’s record breaking parachute jump in photos and video.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of October 27 – November 7, 2014
Spacepolicyonline.com (10/26): A look ahead at major space related activities scheduled for the next two weeks
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