In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA’s plans to resume human deep space exploration likely to combine new hardware with astronauts skilled in leadership and teamwork as well as engineering and the sciences.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Astronaut Drew Feustel talks Orion and the future of space exploration (video)
Space.com (6/2): As U.S. space explorers return to deep space for missions that stretch from the lunar realm to Mars, they will add to the volume of the four person Orion capsule NASA is currently developing with Lockheed Martin. The agency is working with several U.S. companies on space habitats that could be linked to Orion. Once they reach their destinations, future explorers will be prepared to develop the natural resources for life support, propellant and other needs, explains NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, a native of Lake Orion, Mich.
What does it take to become a NASA astronaut?
Voice of America (6/4): The competition is rugged, more difficult than getting into Harvard. Currently, NASA is interviewing for 8 to 14 openings in the nation’s astronaut corps in 2017. The applicant pool stood at 18,300 as the selection began. “I think leadership, teamwork, the ability to both work on a team, lead a team, but also be a follower on a team,” said Anne Roemer, NASA selection manager, of the qualities NASA is looking for. “Communication certainly plays a role, so it’s some pretty common skills that I think translate into even other professions.”
Space Science
Juno is one month from Jupiter
Seeker (6/4): Launched in August 2011, NASA’s Juno spacecraft is in the home stretch of its journey to Jupiter for an 18 month observing campaign. Juno is designed to probe conditions well below the colorful cloud bands that surround the solar system’s largest planet, a radioactive hot spot. One of the mysteries: is there water?
Luxembourg invests to become the ‘Silicon Valley of space resource mining’
Space News (6/3): The government of Luxembourg has declared plans to become the Silicon Valley of the space mining industry.
Rosetta Comet probe bounces back from glitch
Space.com (6/3): The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft was temporarily disabled May 28. The spacecraft has been nestled close to the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko since August 2014. Rosetta emerged from a “safe mode” status a day later.
Will Dawn visit a third object in the asteroid belt?
Seeker (6/3): NASA’s Dawn mission spacecraft has been circling the large asteroid Ceres since March 2015. With a stop first to study the asteroid Vesta, the spacecraft may move on to even a third destination. The space agency’s leadership could make a decision in the August/September time frame.
Low Earth Orbit
Russian satellite launched to measure Earth’s size and shape
Spaceflightnow.com (6/4): A Russian Rockot launch vehicle placed a satellite designed to map variations in the Earth’s gravity field, rotation and tectonic movement in orbit Sunday. Canadian environmentalists raised concerns ahead over the descent of the upper stage of the former Russian missile in waters close to Canadian territory.
Russian ullage rocket engine explodes in space
Spaceflight Insider (6/4): The U.S. Joint Space Operations Center logged the breakup of a Russian rocket upper stage engine on June 1. The motor and its hypergolic fuel were launched as part of a December 2008 Proton-N mission with a payload of Glonass global navigation satellites.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
NASA’s growing impact on the private sector
CCTV (6/4): NASA inspired and backed technologies bring advances well beyond space exploration.
Ex-Officials back McCain’s limits on Russian-made launch engines
Bloomberg (6/2): Former Secretary of Defense Leon Penatta and Director of Central Intelligence Michael Hayden side with U.S. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in urging fellow policy makers to not depend on Russia for the rocket engine, the RD-180, now used to launch U.S. national security payloads and other spacecraft.
Major Space Related Event for the Week
Major space related events for the week of June 6-10, 2016
Spacepolicyonline.com (6/5): In Washington, an American Bar Association conference on Wednesday will feature panel discussions on provisions of the American Space Renaissance Act. The European Space Agency plans to provide early results from its LISA Pathfinder mission on Tuesday. The U.S. House and Senate will be in session this week as well.