Tuesday’s CSExtra includes the latest in commentary and reporting on NASA’s future direction and U.S. space policy. Also, a Soyuz spacecraft carrying American Timothy Creamer, Russian Oleg Kotov and Soichi Noguchi of Japan is scheduled to depart the International Space Station late Tuesday and descend to a landing in remote Kazakhstan at 11:27 p.m., EDT. For updates as well as plans for the launch of a replacement space station crew later this month see, http://www.spaceflightnow.com/station/exp23/status2.html.
1. From the Washington Times: In an op-ed, lunar scientist Paul Spudis and Mars activist Robert Zubrin urge lawmakers to reject the changes in space policy outlined by President Obama. “If the new path is adopted, we will have exchanged a mission-driven program for a costly stagnation that will take us nowhere,” they write.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/31/nasas-mission-to-nowhere/
2. From Spacepolitics.com: Two reports from the International Space and Development Conference hosted by the National Space Society in Chicago last week.
A. NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver outlines NASA’s current agenda, suggesting the agency must do more to make itself relevant to the nation. Some suggestings look for life beyond Earth and making access to space affordable. Garver also says NASA has not given up on exploration of the moon.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/05/30/rallying-the-troops/
B. More from the ISDC in Chicago: NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other luminaries in the debate over NASA’s future differ on the readiness of the commercial space transportation sector to launch astronauts. NASA should continue to fund the Ares 1 if it wants to close the spaceflight gap that will follow the shuttle’s retirement, says George Washington University’s Scott Pace.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/05/30/the-other-great-debate/
3. From spaceref.com and NASA Watch: In an op-ed from Dennis Wingo, a lengthy analysis of the Obama and Bush Administration plans for space exploration. Wingo concludes there is a compromise; execute the Obama plan with a strong focus on the lunar development called for by Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan in recent Congressional testimony.
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1398
4. From the New York Times: The Times rides along as the final set of shuttle solid rockets rolls toward NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. As the shuttle program draws to a close, it’s unclear when America will launch its own astronauts again, the Times reports in this scene setter.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/science/space/01nasa.html
A. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer: The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force has its eye on shuttle Atlantis, once the orbiter’s retirement is certain.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/05/air_force_museum_in_dayton_hop.html
B. From Florida Today: An editorial urging the Space Coast to compete hard for a retired shuttle orbiter that can be placed on public display.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100601/BREAKINGNEWS/306010001/1086/Our+views++Retired+orbiter+should+be+displayed+at+home
5. From the New York Times: Scientists have determined a pinwheel pattern in the ice cap of the Martian North Pole as well as a deep canyon were formed by wind patterns. The determination using radar on spacecraft circling Mars may reveal past climate cycles that could in turn hint at whether Mars hosted conditions suitable for life.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/science/01obmars.html?scp=4&sq=NASA&st=cse
A. From Astrobiology Magazine: Was frigid Mars warm and wet in the past, or just wet? Scientists examine the scenarios that could explain what they observe today in the geology and chemistry of the Red Planet.
http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/3510/mars-was-wet-but-was-it-warm–
6. From the Boston Globe: NASA astronaut Dr. Robert Satcher, the first orthopedic surgeon in space, participates in a newspaper Q & A, prior to a public lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/05/31/dr_robert_l_satcher_jr_spent_11_days_on_the_shuttle_atlantis_as_the_first_orthopedic_surgeon_in_space/
7. From the Wall Street Journal: A video feature on two-week underwear. Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata tested a pair during a visit to the space station in 2009.
http://online.wsj.com/video/not-quite-rocket-science-2-week-underwear/E670662E-7041-42D3-8FE1-549FFB808FC2.html
8. From USA Today: The newspaper looks at a new book, “Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race, 1957-1962.” Tracing the imagery that appeared in the trade publications that lured thousands of young professionals to aerospace.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2010-05-31-space-ads_N.htm
9. From Aviation Week & Space Technology: A look at the promise of the James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to take over for the Hubble Space Telescope when it launches in 2014, or shortly after.
http://www.aviationnow.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awst/2010/05/31/AW_05_31_2010_p59-229905.xml&headline=Webb%20Telescope%20To%20View%20Early%20Universe&channel=awst
10. From Spaceflightnow.com: Japan’s asteroid exploring Hayabusa spacecraft prepares to descend into Australia on June 13. The spacecraft was launched in 2003 for the exploration of an asteroid in late 2005. Japan has nursed the fuel-starved satellite back to Earth using ion propulsion.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1005/30hayabusa/
11. From the Washington Post: A profile of Peter Wilhelm, who over 50 years with the Naval Research Laboratory has contributed to the development of surveillance satellites, the GPS system and other space technologies.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/31/AR2010053102428.html
12. From Space.com: For sky watchers, the planet Mars and the star Regulus make for worthwhile observations in June.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/spacewatch/mars-bright-star-june-skywatching-100528.html
To subscribe to CSExtra via RSS feed click here.
If you would prefer to receive CSExtra in e-mail format, e-mail us at Info@space.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Brought to you by the Coalition for Space Exploration, CSExtra is a daily compilation of space industry news selected from hundreds of online media resources. The Coalition is not the author or reporter of any of the stories appearing in CSExtra and does not control and is not responsible for the content of any of these stories. The content available through CSExtra contains links to other websites and domains which are wholly independent of the Coalition, and the Coalition makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information contained in any such site or domain and does not pre-screen or approve any content. The Coalition does not endorse or receive any type of compensation from the included media outlets and is not responsible or liable in any way for any content of CSExtra or for any loss, damage or injury incurred as a result of any content appearing in CSExtra. For information on the Coalition, visit www.space.com or contact us via e-mail at Info@space.com.