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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. The U.S. and Russia seek harmony in space to lay ground work for future deep space exploration. The U.S. House Science Committee plans another attempt at writing a NASA authorization measure. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center leads Space Launch System heavy lift rocket development off to a fast start in 2015. Estimates of lunar hydrogen, possibly from water, rise based on observations with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Europe’s Planck space telescope finds evidence that the first stars appeared later than presumed. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission receives fuel windfall. NASA’s Dawn mission pursues ever better images of asteroid Ceres. 2015: a big year for U.S. planetary missions. Might Pluto be a full-fledged planet after all? The Hubble Space Telescope tracks three major moons of Jupiter. Astronomers move closer to solving mystery of gamma ray glow. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter keeps a sharp eye on Curiosity rover. California legislator urges support for Washington statue of Sally Ride, the first U.S. female astronaut. Space junk falls on Brazilian farm.
Human Deep Space Exploration
U.S. and Russia preparing for Mars seek harmony missing on Earth
Bloomberg (2/5): The U.S. and Russia are striving to preserve an accord in space that eludes them on Earth, say participants in a U.N. event in Vienna on Thursday. In late March, U.S and Russian astronauts Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko will lift off for a year in space aboard the International Space Station. Scientists from both countries will study their response, part of plans to re-initiate human missions of deep space exploration.
House Science Committee to take up NASA and commercial launch bills
Space News (2/5): Members of the U.S. House Science Committee, a policy setting panel, announce their intent to author a NASA authorization measure this year. Such legislation provides a road map for agency goals and funding. The most recent NASA authorization legislation, in 2010, led to continued development NASA’s Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and Orion crew exploration capsule.
Huntsville leads SLS development around the nation
WAAYTV (2/5): NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is on an ambitious path to demonstrate Space Launch System capabilities this year. NASA’s SLS is intended to start U.S. human explorers on future missions of deep space exploration.
NASA’s LRO discovers lunar hydrogen more abundant on moon’s pole facing slopes
Spaceflight Insider (2/6): Mission scientists raise estimates of the moon’s hydrogen content, possibly linked to the presence of water molecules. Lunar water is a potential resource for life support and rocket fuel for future human activity.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
First stars fired up 140 million years later than previously thought
National Public Radio (2/5): Astronomers associated with the European Space Agency’s Planck space observatory say the first stars formed at least 100 million years later than previous estimates. Planck gathered the highest resolution images yet of the cosmic microwave background radiation. The CMB contains a record of key cosmic events that suggest stars first formed about 560 million years after the big bang. The universe formed an estimated 13.8 billion years ago.
Bonus fuel could change OSIRIS-REx flight plan
Spaceflightnow.com (2/5): NASA’s Osiris-REX mission, set to launch to the asteroid Bennu in late 2016, may have a windfall allowing mission managers to either extend its distant mission or speed back to Earth with samples of the space rock earlier than scheduled. The windfall is the prospect for additional fuel and a super boost from a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket with a Centaur upper stage.
Now we have an even better view of Ceres and its mysterious white spot
Washington Post (2/5): The images of the large asteroid Ceres from NASA’s Dawn mission just get better. Dawn is preparing to maneuver into the orbit around Ceres next month. New photos may help to explain the large asteroid’s mysterious white spot.
From Mercury to Pluto: the year ahead in planetary exploration
The Conversation (2/5): The report offers a big picture look at a diverse line up of missions underway in the solar system during 2015, including an explanation of their approaching major milestones.
Planet or not: Pluto may settle issue this year
Arizona Daily Star, of Tucson (2/5): Possibly, NASA’s New Horizon mission will lead to a re-characterization of Pluto as a full-fledged planet. Several years ago, Pluto was re-categorized as a dwarf planet rather than the solar system’s ninth planet.
Hubble catches a rare three-moon-parade in front of Jupiter
Washington Post (2/5): Those Jovian moons captured in imagery while in transit across the face of Jupiter are Io, Europa and Callisto. Each was discovered by Galileo.
Mystery of the universe’s gamma-ray glow solved
Space.com (2/5): Astronomers believe they may have identified a source for the pervasive gamma-ray glow. Every galaxy is a contributor, say scientists involved with NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Telescope.
NASA Mars orbiter spies on Curiosity’s workplace
Discovery.com (2/5): NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter looks from on high upon the Curiosity rover as it explores the terrain in Gale Crater.
Low Earth Orbit
Sen. Ricardo Lara wants Sally Ride statue at U.S. Capitol
Long Beach Press-Telegram, of Calif., (2/5): California State Sen. Ricardo Lara, of Long Beach, calls for a statute honoring the late Sally Ride, NASA astronaut and first U.S. woman in space. Ride’s likeness would be housed in the National Statutory Hall. Ride died of cancer in 2012.
Spacecraft propellant tank lands on Brazilian farm
Aviation Week (2/5): A large piece of space junk, a fuel tank, fell on Brazilian farm land on Dec. 28, landing 50 meters from a house. Speculation points to a U.S. rocket launch as the source.
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