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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA’s inspector general expresses concerns NASA is moving too quickly on a critical design review for the ground systems supporting the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket. Space assertions from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness, are challenged. U.S. Rep. John Culbertson, chair of a House NASA appropriations panel, vows to extend the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Opportunity rover missions in 2016. NASA’s Mars MAVEN orbiter detects aurora, unexplained dust cloud at Mars. Rosetta’s comet may be pile of pebbles. Cameras on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spot crater left by 2013 explosion. Equation points to multiple planets in habitable zones of billions of Milky Way stars. High definition views from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggests water flows in cycles on the red planet. NASA’s selects United Launch Alliance Delta 4 for 2018 solar probe mission launch. Scientific American ranks best of first 50 years of spacewalks.
Human Deep Space Exploration
NASA IG: SLS, Orion, ground systems interdependency creates unique challenges
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/18): NASA inspector general Paul K. Martin found a lack of coordination by NASA in the development of its Space Launch System heavy lift rocket, Orion crew exploration vehicle, and supporting ground launch systems. All are cornerstones in NASA’s plans to launch future missions of human deep space exploration. In response to the IG’s audit, NASA altered the order of scheduled Critical Design Reviews for each of the elements. But the agency cautioned there could be delays in the reviews for the SLS and Orion.
Ted Cruz distorts NASA’s mission, budget
The Huffington Post (3/18): U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness, recently argued NASA has made disproportionate increases in Earth sciences spending at the expense of exploration. FactCheck.org takes issue, finding investments in NASA’s Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and Orion crew capsule, cornerstones of NASA’s efforts to explore asteroids and Mars with humans.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Culberson pledges protection for Lunar Orbiter, Mars Rover missions
Space News (3/18): U.S. Rep. John Culbertson, who chairs the House appropriations panel responsible for NASA’s budget, vows to ensure the agency’s Mars Opportunity rover and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have funds in 2016 to continue their missions. Both Opportunity and LRO would not be funded in 2016 under the latest White House budget proposal.
Weird aurora and dust cloud found on new Mars mission
New Scientist (3/18): NASA’s most recent Mars mission, MAVEN, has detected passing northern hemisphere aurora and an unexplained high altitude dust cloud. As on Earth, the aurora appears linked to energetic electrons in the solar wind. Tracking the source of the dust cloud is more puzzling.
Rosetta’s comet may be made of pebbles
Discovery.com (3/19): The comet 67P/Churyumov/Gerasimenko, the focus of close up studies by the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft and its companion lander, Philae, may be comprised of small pebbles, a surprise, say scientists. Rosetta rendezvoused with the comet last August. Philae descended to the surface of the comet in November and managed to transmit some data back to Earth before it lost power.
Moon crater from giant lunar crash in 2013 finally found (video)
Space.com (3/18): A camera on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identifies the crater left by a powerful meteor impact on the moon on Mar. 17, 2013. The depression was identified in photos snapped on July 28, 2013. LRO’s observations revealed that the newly created hole is 62 feet wide, NASA officials said.
Most stars in the galaxy have planets in the habitable zone, according to new research
Washington Post (3/18): Billions of stars in the Milky Way could have from one to three planets circling within their habitable zones, regions where temperatures permit water in liquid form, say researchers from Australia and Denmark after applying the Titius-Bode law. The conclusion is based on a study published by the Royal Astronomical Society.
Could water have carved channels on Mars half a million years ago?
Astrobiology Magazine (3/19): Studies of the Martian terrain over 15 years by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggest a large number of gullies were created by flowing water as recently as 500,000 years ago. The high definition imagery raises the possibility that water on Mars comes in cycles.
Delta 4-Heavy selected for launch of solar probe
Spaceflightnow.com (3/18): NASA selects the United Launch Alliance Delta 4 heavy lift rocket for the 2018 launching of the Solar Probe Plus mission. The launch services are valued at $389 million, according to the report.
Low Earth Orbit
50 years of walking in space: Spacewalking’s greatest hits
Scientific America (3/18): Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the world’s first spacewalk, a brief stroll carried out by the former Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. Scientific American lists the best of the rest that followed in the U. S. and China and Russia. Repairs by NASA astronauts to the Hubble Space Telescope rank high in the ratings.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Proton rocket launches with Russian telecom satellite
Spaceflightnow.com (3/19): A Russian Proton rocket placed a telecommunications satellite in orbit on Thursday, following a lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The spacecraft will provide services for customers from Europe to India.
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