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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. The U.S. Senate joins the House in approving a 2015 spending measure that includes a NASA spending increase. Aerojet Rocketdyne discusses Orion Launch Abort System. NASA, Lockheed Martin pleased with data gathered during the Dec. 5 unpiloted Orion test flight. Russian space official dismisses reports of major cuts to Roscosmos in face of unstable economy. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden urges University of Michigan graduates to pursue their dreams. Boeing, Toyota present 3-D, Hi-Def feature on future U.S. space exploration plans. Op-ed suggests U.S. focus human exploration on the moon. NASA close to decision on future asteroid mission. NASA’s long running Cassini mission provides data for icy moon maps. NASA, Japanese space agency reach agreement to exchange samples from asteroid missions. European Space Agency ministerial unfolds with surprises from Britain, France. U.S. National Reconnaissance Office launches national security mission atop Atlas 5. U.S. budget measure includes $20 million for damaged Virginia launch pad. Alaska selects Lockheed Martin for Kodiac Launch Complex upgrade. Russia’s Proton launcher resumes commercial missions. A look at major space policy related activities scheduled for week ahead.
NASA’s 2015 Budget
Senate passes CR Ominbus assuring FY2015 funds for NASA, NOAA, DoD
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/13): Late Saturday, the U.S. Senate joined the House in agreeing to a 2015 federal budget measure effective through Sept. 30. The measure, which awaited the president’s signature early Monday, includes a significant increase for NASA, $18 billion, or $364 million more than the agency’s 2014 budget. NASA’s Orion and Space Launch System heavy lift rocket development efforts are among the beneficiaries.
NASA’s 2015 budget increase is all but confirmed
The Planetary Society (12/14): U.S. 2015 budget measure includes $18 billion for NASA, $549 million more than the White House request.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Insider interview: Aerojet Rocketdyne’s human space program director talks Orion
Spaceflight Insider (12/13): Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Sam Wiley discusses the significance and development of the Launch Abort System and reaction control system that are part of the NASA/Lockheed Martin Orion crew exploration capsule. Orion carried out a successful unpiloted two orbit test flight on Dec. 5. “I think that this is going to capture a lot of people’s interest that, you know, we do have the capability and we do have the know-how and the passion. Let’s build on this, let’s keep going, let’s take those next steps.”
Orion flight test generated 200 GB of engineering data
Aviation Week (12/15): Exploration Flight Test-1, a Dec. 5 unpiloted two orbit test flight of the new NASA/Lockheed Martin Orion crew exploration vehicle, gathered large quantities of engineering data from the successful mission for further development.
Russian space agency says no plans to cut budget, drop any projects
ITAR TASS, or Russia (12/15): Earlier reports of a deep cuts to Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, are untrue, Oleg Ostapenko, the agency’s chief, said Monday. Russia is facing an unstable economic future.
NASA chief delivers University of Michigan commencement
Associated Press via Houston Chronicle (12/14): In a Sunday commencement address at the University of Michigan, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden urged graduates to take ownership of what he termed the “space generation.” “Your generation is going to take the things that people of my generation started and make them your own,” said the former astronaut.
‘Journey to Space’ to take moviegoers on giant-screen trip to Mars
Collectspace.com (12/12): New high definition 3-D video features next U.S. chapters in space exploration. The presentation is presented by the Boeing Co. and Toyota.
Forget Pluto, comets or Mars, let’s go back to the moon
Washington Post (12/12): An op-ed suggests a return to the moon should be the next U.S. space destination, not Mars. “If America doesn’t go back to the moon and eventually establish a permanent lunar base there, someone else will,” writes Dominic Basulto, a New York futurist. “And whichever country is most active in moon exploration will have the biggest say in the moon’s future development.”
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
NASA’s two choices for asteroid mission
Florida Today (12/14): Early this week, NASA is expected to reach a key decision in its proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission. One option would target a small asteroid that could be maneuvered into a stable lunar orbit. A second would capture a boulder from a larger asteroid for the lunar orbit destination. The space agency plans to visit the asteroid with a human crew launched aboard an Orion crew exploration capsule and a Space Launch System heavy lift rocket before 2015.
NASA reveals best-ever maps of Saturn’s icy moons (photos)
Space.com (12/12): Photos of Saturn’s moons Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus gathered by NASA’s long running Cassini mission are fashioned into maps by Paul Schenk of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. Launched in 1997, Cassini reached Saturn in 2005.
NASA, JAXA reach asteroid sample-sharing agreement
Spaceflightnow.com (12/15): NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) agree to exchange data from their respective OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa-2 missions to the asteroids Bennu and 1999 JU3. The JAXA mission was launched Dec. 3. The NASA mission is targeted for a Sept. 2016 lift off. Both missions will attempt to return to Earth with samples of asteroid materials.
Low Earth Orbit
Sputnik International, of Russia (12/14): Officials in Houston, Tex., dedicated a new downtown pedestrian walkway to space pioneers Neil Armstrong, of the U.S., and Yuri Gagarin, of the former Soviet Union. Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon in 1969. Gagarin was the first human to orbit the Earth in 1961.
ESA ministerial produces a few surprises
Space News (12/12): The European Space Agency’s most recent ministerial meeting produced surprises from Britain and France. Britain increased its support for the International Space Station, France became ESA’s largest space investor.
Record-setting Atlas launches with new Centaur engine
Spaceflightnow.com (12/13): United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas 5 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., late Friday with a U.S. national security payload. The mission featured a new Centaur upper stage engine.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Wallops Island to receive $20 million from federal budget to repair damaged Mars Pad 0A
Spaceflight Insider (12/12): The current 2015 spending measure, passed by the U.S. House and Senate late last week, includes funding to repair the state of Virginia launch pad. The pad was damaged Oct. 28 with the unsuccessful launch of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket with supplies for the International Space Station.
Lockheed Martin wins Alaska spaceport bid
Associated Press via Yahoo.com (12/12): Alaska’s state owned space agency has selected Lockheed Martin for a launch pad upgrade. The Kodiak Launch Complex upgrade will accommodate the launch of larger rockets. Medium-lift vehicles could be launching by 2020.
ILS Proton M marks 400th launch with Yamal-401
NASAspaceflight.com (12/15): A Russian Proton/Breeze M rocket combination placed a communications satellite into orbit early Monday. The launch marked for first for a commercial Proton in 10 months.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the weeks of December 15-31, 2014
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/14): The 113th U.S. Congress enters its final days. The American Geophysical Union meets this week in San Francisco. The next resupply mission to the International Space Station is slated for a Friday lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., with a docking to follow early Sunday.
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