In Today’s Deep Space Extra… President Trump’s signing of the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 includes statements supporting a revived National Space Council led by Vice President Pence.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Pence confirms plans to reestablish the National Space Council
Space News (3/21): Speaking from the White House on Tuesday in the presence of President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence says he expects to lead a new version of the cabinet-level National Space Council. The council, which coordinates space policy among federal agencies, was last active during the presidency of George H. W. Bush.
President Trump signs NASA Authorization Bill
Space.com (3/21): President Trump signed the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 on Tuesday, legislation passed earlier by the U.S. House and Senate. The president was flanked by two astronauts during the White House signing ceremony. The policy-oriented measure supports a $19.5 billion budget for the space agency during the current fiscal year. The president spoke favorably of the Space Launch System, Orion crew capsule and plans for deep space exploration and private sector collaborations. The act directs NASA to prepare for a human landing on Mars by 2033.
White House to look at how best to ‘protect and preserve’ Apollo moon landing sites
Collectspace.com (3/21): The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017, signed by President Trump on Tuesday, calls on the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to lead efforts to assure the preservation of the U.S. Apollo mission landing sites on the moon.
Russia’s space program is struggling mightily
Slate.com (3/21): Outside experts see problems for the only country in the world still capable of regularly launching humans into orbit. Those include a troubled national economy, declining budgets, corruption and some corner cutting that has jeopardized quality control. “It’s the only country that regularly sends humans to orbit. But its long-term prospects don’t look great,” writes Asif Siddiqi, Fordham University professor and author of books on Soviet and Russian space.
Russia to take part in new Mars simulation mission
TASS of Russia (3/21): Russian medical experts are likely to participate in a NASA-funded Mars simulation mission planned for January 2018 and led by the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS). At some point, a mission simulation might include an actual Russian specialist.
Space Science
Rosetta images show comet’s changing surface close up
Universe Today (3/21): From August 2014 through September 2016, Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko fell under the close scrutiny of the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission spacecraft. Images and assessments appearing in the journal Science reveal an active planetary body.
Low Earth Orbit
Russia, China could cooperate on developing reusable rockets
Sputnik International (3/21): Both countries are pursuing reusable rocket strategies apart from those now being pursued by private launch services companies. The work may bring China and Russia together to cooperate on the goal of reuse, according to Russian military expert Vasily Kashin.
Rocket launch startup Rocket Lab snags $75 million in new funding
Reuters via New York Times (3/22): Start-up Rocket Lab raises funds for its small satellite launch services venture, with offices in Los Angeles and New Zealand. The company’s liquid-fueled Electron rocket is designed to place satellites weighing up to 330 pounds in Earth orbit.