CSExtra – Friday, February 4, 2011

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Friday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from around the world. In Washington, the House prepares to slash spending for the remainder of 2011, which could take a substantial but unclear toll on NASA and other agencies. The Senate’s response is restrained, setting the stage for substantial debate and a possible government shut down. NASA and Mark Kelly plan to announce Friday whether the veteran astronaut will continue to command the last scheduled shuttle flight. Kelly’s wife, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, is recovering from a Jan. 8 gunshot wound. In Russia, a simulated 500 day Mars mission approaches a major milestone. Did President Obama point to the wrong threat for the “Sputnik moment” that emerged from his State of the Union Address. NASA rescues an ambitious Earth observation program. United Space Alliance looks at potential commercial uses of the space shuttle. Two former NASA officials are sentenced in conspiracy and conflict of interest investigations.

1. From Spacepolicyonline.com: Chairs of the House Budget and House Appropriations Committees on Thursday called for substantial reductions in spending for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, which began last Oct. 1. A budget continuing resolution that limits spending to 2010 appropriation levels is set to expire on March 4, and without a budget or another CR, the federal government faces a shutdown. Spending controlled by the House Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee that includes NASA and NOAA faces an 11 percent cut in 2011 spending, or 16 percent under the 2010 level.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1391:house-appropriations-committee-chairman-drops-the-other-shoe-for-fy2011&catid=67:news&Itemid=27

A. From Spacepolicyonline.com: Another budget CR may be in order, according to U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Other senators say they need more time to study the proposed cuts set forth by the House Budget and Appropriations committees on Thursday.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1393:senate-dubiously-reacts-to-house-budget-cut-proposals-another-short-term-cr-may-be-in-offing&catid=67:news&Itemid=27

B. From the Associated Press via the Wall Street Journal: Some lawmakers anticipate a “bruising battle” over efforts to return federal spending to the 2008 level that was in place before President Obama took office. Some conservatives propose even deeper cuts.
http://online.wsj.com/article/AP050645469a634a44b715c2d3035f9ff6.html?KEYWORDS=NASA

2. From Space.com: NASA plans a news briefing Friday at 3 p.m. EST, to announce whether veteran NASA astronaut Mark Kelly will continue his command of the final scheduled shuttle flight. Kelly’s wife, Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords suffered a gunshot wound at a Jan. 8 political rally in Tucson. She is rehabilitating at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. NASA has already announced that Frederick Sturckow, NASA’s deputy chief astronaut, is prepared to step in as Endeavour’s commander. Endeavour’s six astronauts are training to equip the International Space Station with the $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an external astronomical observatory.  An April 19 lift off is planned.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/10754-astronaut-mark-kelly-giffords-space-shuttle-decision.html

A. From POLITICO.com:  Mark Kelly will continue his command, sources tell Politico.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48830.html

B. From the Wall Street Journal: Several signs point to Kelly’s decision to remain in command, according to the WSJ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704150104576123032263345392.html

C. From the Associated Press via the Washington Post: Signs indicate Mark Kelly will continue his command, according to the Associated Press.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/03/AR2011020306255.html

D. From the Orlando Sentinel: In a report based on comments from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who spoke with Mark Kelly at Thursday’s National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Kelly will continue to command Endeavour’s mission.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/2011/02/nelson%e2%80%99s-guess-mark-kelly-will-fly-shuttle-mission.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fspace%2Fspace_blog+%28Space+Blog+The+Write+Stuff%29

3. From the Coalition for Space Exploration: In Moscow, a half dozen Russian, European and Chinese astronauts are closing in on the landing phase of the Mars 500 Project, a simulated mission to Mars. Three of the six participants will “touch down” on the Red Planet on Feb. 12. The project was initiated by the Institute for Biomedical Problems to assess the psychological and technical barriers involved in a Mars expedition.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/blog/sim-mars-project-preparing-for-%e2%80%9clanding%e2%80%9d-on-the-red-planet

6. From MSNBC: United Space Alliance offers a proposal that would continue operations with one space shuttle on a commercial basis until 2017.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41397955/ns/technology_and_science-space/

7. From Space News: In Washington, two former NASA officials are sentenced to prison and probation on conspiracy and conflict of interest charges in a case involving consulting work.
http://www.spacenews.com/civil/110203-stadd-bound-wv-prison.html

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