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Thursday’s CSExtra offers a roundup of the latest developments in space related activities from around the globe. At NASA, shuttle managers may call for further safety modifications to the fuel tank of the shuttle Discovery. Discovery’s final mission has been on hold since early November because of tiny fuel tank cracks. Experts consider the shuttle program’s legacy at an Orlando aerospace conference. One U.S. space policy analyst suggests the public supports U.S. led international cooperation in the exploration of space — if it’s affordable and brings new technologies. NASA’s current funding dilemma stirs editorial outrage. Control teams try again to stir the Martian rover Spirit, which has been silent for month.
1. From Florida Today: Shuttle managers will meet today to consider additional modifications to the fuel tank of the shuttle Discovery. Cracks in the tank, which are under going repairs, have stalled Discovery’s launching since Nov. 5. If managers opt for additional work, the prospects for launching Discovery mission between Feb. 3 and 10 fade. The next opportunity extends from Feb. 27 to March 6.
http://space.flatoday.net/2011/01/nasa-to-meet-thursday-about-potential.html
A. From Florida Today: Experts discuss the legacy of the soon to retire space shuttle during an Orlando, Fla., conference sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Charles Bolden, NASA’s administrator and a four time shuttle mission commander and pilot, tells the AIAA that NASA is preparing from three more missions before retiring the program this year.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110106/NEWS02/101060316/Experts+lament+shuttle+s+legacy
2. From Space News: In an op-ed, Joan Johnson-Freese, a space policy analyst at the Naval War College, suggests what the current national priorities in space might be, based on the responses she received from a recent class on Space and Security. Her students favored a cooperative program with other nations that emphasize exploration and technology development.
http://www.spacenews.com/commentaries/110105-views-space-informed-public.html
3. From Spacepolitics.com: A look at the editorial outrage in a series of regional newspapers over NASA’s current funding dilemma. On the one hand, Congress has passed legislation instructing NASA to move on from the Constellation program to initiate a commercial space transportation initiative while pursuing the development of a heavy lift rocket and a multi purpose crew capsule. On the other hand, NASA is hobbled by Congressional restrictions that force it to spend on the cancelled Constellation program.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/01/05/cosmic-pork-and-obscene-wastes-of-taxpayer-money/
A. From the Baltimore Sun: An op-ed from U.S. Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Maryland Democrat who calls for a revived U.S. space program.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-space-20110104,0,5917759.story
4. From Space.com: NASA plans new attempts to awaken the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which has been silent since March 22, 2010. Spirit landed on Mars in January 2004 to begin was to be a three month mission.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/missionlaunches/nasa-tries-to-awaken-mars-spirit-rover-110105.html
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