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
Friday’s CSExtra finds new developments on the space policy front. The Senate is preparing changes to President Obama’s space policy, according to the New York Times. Orion would re-emerge as a deep space spacecraft, while work on a new heavy lift rocket would accelerate. Also, another report from Russia that China has been asked to join the International Space Station team. In New Orleans, a ceremony to mark the production of the last shuttle external fuel tank. More perspective on NASA cooperation with Muslim nations. In California, a NASA scientist helps to explain recent Earthquake activity.
1. From the New York Times: NASA’s Senate authorization committee is rolling back the NASA exploration program proposed by President Obama. The Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee bill, still under development, would add a shuttle mission in mid-2011, accelerate work on a new heavy lift rocket and re-designate Orion for deep space exploration rather than as a space station life boat. Commercial companies would have to demonstrate their flight capabilities before receiving funds to transport astronauts to the space station. While the story’s source is Senate staff. U.S. Sen. David Vittner, ranking Republican on the committee, verified many details Thursday while at a ceremony in New Orleans to mark production of the final space shuttle external fuel tank. The measure appears to have bi-partisan support. House authorizers are still working on their version of a bill. The New York Time’s report echoes an earlier MSNBC report quoting U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/science/space/09nasa.html?_r=1
A. From Florida Today: U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, a guest at the New Orleans shuttle fuel tank ceremony, criticizes President Obama’s space policy. Vitter, a member of NASA’s Senate oversight committee, terms the White House policy that seeks to cancel NASA’s Constellation Program as “radical.”
http://flametrench.flatoday.net/2010/07/vitter-rips-obama-space-plan-at-tank.html
B. From Spaceflightnow.com: NASA and Lockheed Martin mark the production of the final space shuttle external fuel tank with a ceremony on Thursday at the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/100708michoud/
C. From the Huntsville Times: NASA and Lockheed Martin pay tribute to workers responsible for the shuttle’s external fuel tank, as the last of the large structures rolls off the production line in New Orleans.
http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/07/last_space_shuttle_tank_rolls.html
D. From the New Orleans Times Picayune: Astronaut Mark Kelly, who will command the final shuttle mission, is among those who attend the New Orleans ceremony. His mission, scheduled for a Feb. 26 lift off, will use the last production tank. “We really appreciate how complex this tank is,” Kelly says at the gathering. “I don’t think the public gets it.”
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/michoud_assembly_facility_deli.html
2. From NASAwatch.com: The web site finds a Russian report suggesting Russia has invited China to join the International Space Station partnership. NASA found an earlier, similar report untrue. The new post points to remarks from a Russian official. He says the partnership needs a backup to the Soyuz spacecraft for crew transportation after the shuttle retires. China’s Shenzou would offer an alternate means of transportation. http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/07/has-china-been.html
3. From SpacePolictics.com: The web site offers perspective on the controversy swirling over NASA Administrator Charles Bolden’s recent remarks about cooperating with Muslim nations in space. The remarks turned into a “gotcha moment,” for commentators and bloggers looking for something to pounce on in the 24/7 news cycle, the web sites suggests.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/07/08/what-boldens-words-say-about-nasa-and-the-media/
4. From the AP via the Washington Post: Seismologists find additional pressure on two California faults, one of which was responsible for a mild Earthquake this week. The pressure is the result of a stronger Easter Sunday quake in Mexico, one of the scientists — from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory — explains.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070800879.html
5. From the AP via the Los Angeles Times: A Swiss team has successfully completed a 24 hour test flight of a solar powered aircraft, demonstrating night operations. The future goal of the project is an around-the-world flight. Rogers E. Smith, a former NASA chief pilot, is one of project’s flight directors.
http://www.latimes.com/technology/sns-ap-eu-switzerland-solar-adventure,0,3199191.story
6. From the Wall Street Journal: A look at R2, the robot NASA is working on with General Motors. The robot will fly to the International Space Station on NASA’s next shuttle mission. Could work like this lead to safer automobiles?
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/07/07/can-a-space-robot-make-driving-on-earth-safer/?KEYWORDS=NASA
7. From Space.com: Top students from 35 countries head to Singularity University at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Some participate in a space project, ‘To Boldly Stay’, an initiative to extend humanity into the solar system.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/news/singularity-university-future-space-exploration-100708.html
8. From Spaceflightnow.com: The European Space Agency’s Rosetta comet probe will soar close to the asteroid Lutetia on Saturday. Latetia, 60-90 miles long, is rich in organic material and may be debris from the solar system’s earliest days. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1007/08rosetta/
9. From the Houston Chronicle: Local businessmen initiate a campaign to bring one of the retired shuttle orbiters to Houston.
http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2010/07/how_you_can_help_ensure_that_houston_gets_a_retire_1.html
10. From MSNBC: Rocketplane, once a beneficiary of NASA funding to develop a commercial cargo transportation service for the International Space Station, goes bankrupt.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/08/4639364-rocketplane-runs-out-of-gas
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.