In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The first 100 days of the new U.S. administration and Congress seem likely to hold suspense for the space community.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Scientific America (11/30): NASA’s current course will be determined, perhaps, by who the President-elect selects to succeed current Administrator, Charles Bolden — either a newcomer or an aerospace industry veteran. As the first 100 days of the new administration unfold, the nation should learn more about its overall plans for tax cuts and programs to upgrade the nation’s roads, bridges and airports. Those plans should reveal what kinds of resources might be available for exploration, though the report concludes that as a discretionary enterprise NASA could face a bleak future. If a National Space Council is restored, it will likely be led by Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
Insider exclusive: Jacobs’ TPSF enabling Kennedy to become multi-user spaceport
Spaceflightinsider.com (11/28): NASA’s Thermal Protection System Facility (TPSF) has moved from the space shuttle era to help the Kennedy Space Center achieve its goal of serving the nation as a multi-user spaceport. The TPSF has a long history of helping develop heat shielding materials, including those used by NASA’s space shuttle. Those materials are crucial for the human deep space missions that NASA plans to the lunar and Martian environs. Jacobs Technology manages the facility.
Part time scientists reserves rocket to land Audi moon rovers at Apollo 17 site
Collectspace.com (11/29): Google Lunar X-Prize contenders PT Scientists of Berlin are securing a launch agreement for their twin rover mission to the moon. Their landing target is Taurus Littrow, where hardware from NASA’s final Apollo mission to the moon, Apollo 17, remains. The science mission could include a transmission of high-definition video of the Apollo 17 moon buggy but without disturbing the Apollo 17 landing site.
Space Science
Q&A: Key legislator disses White House science office
Science (11/30): U.S. Rep. John Culberson, chair of the House panel that oversees appropriations for NASA, NOAA, NSF and other science initiatives, envisions continued support for a NASA mission to seek evidence of life on Europa, the ocean covered moon of Jupiter, as well as a mission to the neighboring star system Alpha Centauri. The lawmaker would also like to see a downsizing of the White House Office of Science and Technology.
The moon’s magma ocean was wetter than we thought
Ars Technica (11/30): The Earth’s moon formed from a violent collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized object early in the solar system’s history. The blow created a ball of molten magma that cooled to form the moon. Dutch researchers now theorize the moon may once have held more water than currently seems evident.
New ‘micro-satellites’ to spy on hurricanes
USA Today (11/30): The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) is a constellation of eight small NASA weather satellites scheduled to lift-off on December 12. CYGNSS will gather information on winds at the ocean’s surface which will be used initially for research and then to help forecast increases in hurricane intensity.
Low Earth Orbit
Russian Progress cargo capsule arrives at launch pad
Spaceflightnow.com (11/29): Russia’s Progress 65 re-supply mission to the six-person International Space Station is poised for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan this morning at 9:51 a.m. EST. An on-time launch should place the Progress MS-04 and its two and a half ton cargo of crew supplies, food and fuel at the Space Station for an automated docking on Saturday at 11:43 a.m. EST.
Japanese company plans artificial meteor shower
Universe Today (11/30): The Japanese company Sky Canvas plans to study the behavior of meteors and the characteristics of their plunge into the Earth’s atmosphere with the launch of artificial materials. The plan may also put on a colorful show for ground based observers, possibly those present in Japan for the opening of the 2020 Olympics.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
ULA aims to show Atlas value with ‘RocketBuilder’
Florida Today (11/30): United Launch Alliance announced a new online tool, RocketBuilder, which will help satellite developers breakdown launch costs and a range of other factors, including risk and schedule, for placing their spacecraft in orbit. “Nobody really chooses to have low reliability, to blow their rocket up or to be late; it’s something that they strive to avoid, but it’s very difficult to obtain,” said Tory Bruno, ULA’s chief executive officer, during a press event in Washington, D.C. “These are durable differentiators, and what we’re doing here is making them visible to customers so they can make an informed choice.”
Russia to supply RD-180 rocket engines to US in 2017
TASS of Russia (12/1): Russia’s Energomash expects to export 19 RD-180 and RD-181 rocket engines to the U.S. next year for use by United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V and Orbital ATK’s Antares launch vehicles. The U.S. Congress lifted a ban on imports of the rocket engines after 2019, once it became clear efforts to develop domestic replacements would take longer. Efforts to curtail imports were initiated in response to Russia’s moves into Crimea.
Spanish propulsion startup wants to build Europe’s first reusable rockets
Space News (11/30): Founded in 2011, Spain’s PLD Space startup intends to develop a reusable rocket for Europe. PLD Space intends to use a liquid propulsion system for the Arion 1 suborbital and Arion 2 orbital missions by 2018 and 2020 respectively.
New Chinese commercial-launch company advertises high launch rate, low price
Space News (11/29): The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. has established Expace Technology Co., a global small satellite commercial launch service. Ten launches of Expace’s new Kuaizhou solid-fueled rocket are anticipated annually. New customers and launch rates, however, could be influenced by a U.S. ban on the launch by China of satellites with U.S. components.