In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Both U.S. presidential candidates express their space exploration intentions. President Obama believes U.S. astronauts are two decades from Mars.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Exclusive | Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump weigh in on U.S. space policy
Space News (10/11): The U.S. presidential contenders address questions about NASA as well as military space funding and future goals. “After taking office, we will have a comprehensive review of our plans for space, and will work with Congress to set both priorities and mission,” said Donald Trump. “Mars is a consensus horizon goal, though to send humans safely, we still need to advance the technologies required to mitigate the effects of long-duration, deep-space flight,” said Hillary Clinton.
Barack Obama: America will take the giant leap to Mars
CNN (10/11): The president hails the strides NASA has made in space exploration, planetary science, astronomy and more. He predicts NASA will reach Mars with human explorers in the 2030s. “I still have the same sense of wonder about our space program that I did as a child. It represents an essential part of our character — curiosity and exploration, innovation and ingenuity, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and doing it before anybody else,” says Obama in a CNN post.
Can the U.S. really get astronauts to Mars by 2030?
New York Times (10/11): The Times examines the challenges of achieving President Obama’s goal of humans reaching Mars by the 2030s “For decades, a human mission to Mars has been regarded as difficult but doable, given enough time and money and a willingness to subject astronauts to risks like radiation during the long journey,” the Times reports in part.
Why Mars? An Introduction To A 10-Part Series On Sending Humans To Mars
The Huffington Post (10/11): The publication is turning to Explore Mars and a range of experts in exploration, science, astronautics, medicine and education to outline the challenges and benefits of human missions to Mars. A series of op-eds from a range of experts will be published in the Huffington Post over the next three months.
KSC Hurricane Matthew repairs to cost ‘millions of dollars’
Orlando Sentinel (10/11): NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is in the process of assessing the costs to repair wind and water damage to the Central Florida launch complex from the approach of Hurricane Matthew last week. KSC Center Director Robert Cabana estimates the repairs will ultimately cost “millions of dollars,” though damages were more modest than initially anticipated. Facilities used to ready NASA’s Orion capsule for Exploration Mission-1 emerged in relatively good shape, Cabana shares in a news briefing yesterday.
Space Science
Solar electric propulsion upgrades wanted for deep space missions, more | Video
Space.com (10/11): NASA’s Glenn Research Center pursues upgrades to solar arrays and other components that could advance solar electric propulsion technologies for deep space missions.
Pluto gets a buddy: A new dwarf planet is discovered in our solar system
Washington Post (10/11): Astronomers on Tuesday described a new and distant dwarf planet relative of Pluto’s. The object, 2014 UZ224, is 8.5 billion miles from the sun. It was discovered by University of Michigan astrophysicist David Gerdes with the help of a team of undergraduate researchers. The discovery was logged by the International Astronomical Union.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
NASA to move ahead with plans to offer ISS docking port for private modules
Space News (10/11): NASA intends to assess private sector proposals for use of an International Space Station U.S. segment docking port, agency administrator Charles Bolden and White House science adviser John Holdren said Tuesday.
TS Nicole approaches Bermuda tracking station, prompting delay of OA-5 mission
Spaceflight Insider (10/11): NASA slips the next contracted Orbital ATK re-supply mission to the International Space Station from Friday to Sunday over concerns that Tropical Storm Nicole will strike Bermuda, site of a key NASA spacecraft tracking facility, as a hurricane. A planned Sunday liftoff from NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility on Virginia’s eastern shore is planned for 8:03 p.m., EDT. The launch will mark a return to flight for Orbital’s Antares launch vehicle.