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Friday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space-related activities from across the nation. In Houston, the astronauts assigned to NASA’s final shuttle mission take questions from the news media as they near a July 8 lift off. The four fliers say they are ready for a busy final mission that will take them to the International Space Station. Shuttle managers say they expect to close the 30-year program on a strong note. The final shuttle flight signals a turning point for NASA, as it looks to the commercial sector to transport astronauts to orbit. NASA must make strategic investments in new technologies if the agency is to pursue missions to distant destinations, say experts.
1. From USA Today: The four astronauts selected by NASA to fly the final shuttle mission say they will be challenged to accomplish all of the activities planned for their 12-day flight to the International Space Station. The supply mission is scheduled to lift off on July 8 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Normally, NASA would have assigned six to seven people to the flight. However, NASA was limited to just four veterans because of a rescue strategy that will rely on Russian spacecraft.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-06-30-shuttle-atlantis-space-station-final-mission_n.htm?loc=interstitialskip
A. From Florida Today: NASA is committed to a successful final flight of the space shuttle, program personnel tell a news briefing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110701/NEWS02/107010314/Crew-psyches-up-make-Atlantis-trip-pinnacle-shuttle-program?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
B. From the Houston Chronicle: In pictures, the newspaper follows the Atlantis astronauts as they discuss their flight with the news media at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
http://blog.chron.com/finalmission/2011/06/at-the-last-large-nasa-crew-news-conference-for-awhile-what-will-inspire-kids-next/
C. From the Galveston Daily News of Texas: The astronauts assigned to NASA’s final shuttle mission say their flight signifies a turning point for NASA. The last mission sets the stage for future missions to destinations beyond Earth orbit.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/241786
D. From CNN.com: A look at the emerging commercial space transportation industry that NASA will nurture to take over astronaut transportation to Earth orbit.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/06/30/future.of.space.travel/
2. From Spacepolicyonline.com: NASA’s inspector general outlines the challenges faced by the agency as it works with the commercial space industry to develop spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to Earth orbit. They include establishing safety standards, developing an acquisition strategy and oversight of its commercial partners.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1661:nasa-ig-cautions-on-commercial-crew-challenges&catid=83:news&Itemid=76
3. From the Economist: The end of NASA’s shuttle program signals a waning of the passion to explore the final frontier, according to a magazine essay.
http://www.economist.com/node/18897425?story_id=18897425&fsrc=rss
4. From Space.com: NASA’s ambitions of exploring the asteroids or Mars with humans will not be fulfilled without new investments in propulsion, navigation and communication technologies, according to the agency’s chief technologist.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/12136-visits-asteroid-mars-nasa-ways.html
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