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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will lead discussions on the agency’s 2016 budget from the Kennedy Space Center. At NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, engineers consider nuclear fission as a propulsion source for future Mars missions. Images from NASA’s Dawn probe are now sharper than those from Hubble. Claims of evidence of post big bang inflation evaporate. Europe’s search for the Philae comet lander continue. New NASA Earth observing satellite will monitor soil moisture, aid drought forecasting. Japan lofts a spy satellite. Iran launches a satellite early Monday. Europe readies a 3-D printer prototype for the International Space Station. The Space Station’s Terry Virts praises U.S. Air Force experiences. Web cams to monitor sluggish construction of Russia’s Vostochny launch complex. Russia launches Inmarsat mobile communications satellite. Adidas looks to NASA’s Mercury, Apollo space suits for colorful sports shoe inspiration. The week ahead in space policy.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Bolden to visit KSC for NASA’s 2016 budget rollout
Florida Today (1/31): NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will lead the space agency’s 2016 budget presentation on Monday from the Kennedy Space Center. Bolden plans to discuss the “state of NASA,” and address scientific and technology milestones. NASA’s objectives include the human exploration of Mars in the mid-2030s.
Exploring the universe with nuclear power
Universe Today (1/30): At NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center, engineers look to nuclear fission as a power source for future human missions to Mars.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Sharpest views of mysterious ‘planet’ Ceres now better than Hubble, tantalize scientists
AmericaSpace.com (2/1): NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is on a course to maneuver into orbit around the large asteroid Ceres on March 6. Images coming to Earth from the probe are now providing a sharper view of the asteroid’s rugged surface than the best from the Hubble Space Telescope in 2003-04.
Curtain falls on controversial big bang result
Science (1/30): Last year, astronomers associated with a South Pole observatory presented much sought after evidence of a very brief post big bang inflation of the universe in the cosmic background radiation. However, those claims dissolved last week with a new analysis of imagery from the European Space Agency’s Planck space observatory. Galactic dust distorted the initial South Pole observations.
Where is Philae? Search for Rosetta’s lander continues
Discovery.com (1/30): Scientists in Europe are continuing their search for the Philae lander on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Philae separated from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission spacecraft for the landing on Nov. 12. Radio silence followed, and scientists believe Philae settled into shadow, preventing further battery charging by the lander’s solar arrays. Mission managers are combing images from Rosetta in hopes of finding Philae.
Low Earth Orbit
NASA launches satellite to get the dirt on Earth’s dirt
Space.com (1/31): NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite rose to orbit Saturday atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. SMAP will monitor moisture in top soil globally to help with the prediction of droughts, floods and other weather activity.
A new satellite will watch the western drought from space
Wired.com (1/31): NASA’s new SMAP satellite will help to monitor worrisome drought conditions in the American West.
H-2A rocket boosts Japanese radar spy satellite into orbit
Spaceflightnow.com (2/1): Japan on Sunday launched a radar reconnaissance satellite. The spacecraft will be used to monitor potential threats in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the report.
State television reports Iran launches satellite called ‘Fajr’ into space amid rocket tests
Associated Press via Fox Business.com (2/2): Iran’s state television announced the satellite launching but did not describe its purpose. Iran is currently in negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program.
Europe’s 1st zero-gravity 3-D printer headed for space
Space.com (1/30): The European Space Agency plans to send a prototype 3-D printer of its own to the International Space Station by mid-2015. The new device, the Portable On-Board 3-D Printer, will join a U.S. 3-D printer already on board and developed by Made In Space, of California. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti will conduct trials of the European device.
Astronaut calls on Air Force experience in space
Air Force Times (1/31): International Space Station resident Terry Virts finds his U.S. Air Force roots an essential part of his responsibilities aboard the six person orbiting science laboratory. Currently a flight engineer aboard the station, Virts is line to assume command in March.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Rogozin enlists Russian citizens to monitor work at Vostochny
Spacepolicyonline.com (2/1): In an effort to accelerate the construction of Russia’s new Vostochny launch site, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has enlisted the use of webcams to monitor activities. Vostochny is to offer an alternative to the Baikonur Cosmodrome of Kazakhstan. Use of Vostochny for human space launches has slipped to 2018 because of delays.
Inmarsat-5, F-2 communications satellite successfully launches atop proton rocket
Spaceflight Insider (2/1): A Russian Proton rocket places a communications satellite, part of Inmarsat’s new Global Express constellation for mobile communications, in orbit.
Adidas ties new sneakers to historic NASA astronaut spacesuits
Collectspace.com (1/29): Sporting goods manufacturer Adidas finds inspiration for new sneakers in vintage NASA space suits, garments worn by the Mercury and Apollo astronauts.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of February 2-6, 2015
Spacepolicyonline.com (2/1): The White House presents its 2016 fiscal year budget to Congress on Monday. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will host a State of NASA discussion from the Kennedy Space Center with complementary activities. Congress is in session. The FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Conference gets under way on Wednesday.
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