Friday’s space news scan: The Senate Appropriations Committee includes a measure halting the cancellation of NASA’s Constellation Program in a spending bill for the Afghan war. More on a Senate hearing on Wednesday in which Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan criticized White House efforts to cancel Constellation. Good weather awaits the scheduled lift off of the shuttle Atlantis on Friday at 2:20 p.m., EDT. It’s the 25-year-old orbiter’s final flight. A crew of six will deliver a Russian module to the International Space Station over a 12-day mission. Also, Jupiter loses a prominent reddish band.
1. From the Orlando Sentinel: U.S. Senators Richard Shelby of Alabama and Robert Bennett of Utah, both Republicans, add legislation to a measure funding the Afghan war that aims to block further efforts by the White House to cancel Constellation.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/2010/05/nasa%E2%80%99s-moon-program-gets-a-boost-from-congress.html
A. From the Houston Chronicle: The measure was initiated by Bennett of Utah, but pushed by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
By including the language in a $58.8 billion budget supplemental to underwrite the costs of combat in Afghanistan, Hutchison and her allies virtually assured that the restriction will be adopted by the full Senate and House and signed by Obama because the costs of the Afghanistan war must be funded, the HC reports. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/7004353.html
B. From Florida Today: A report calling Thursday’s restriction on Constellation’s cancellation “largely ceremonial.”
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100514/NEWS02/100513034
2. From NASAwatch.com: Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan were accompanied by former NASA administrator Michael Griffin as they prepared Wednesday to present their views on the White House space policy before the House Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/05/mike-griffin-ma.html
3. From Spacepolitics.com: During an AAAS forum on science and technology on Thursday, White House science advisor John Holdren defends the White House space strategy. The administration plan received criticism during a Senate authorization hearing on Wednesday from Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan. Holdren lists other astronauts who support the strategy, including Sally Ride and Buzz Aldrin.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/05/13/holdren-astronauts-support-our-plan-too/
4. In an editorial, the Orlando Sentinel endorses the White House plan to cancel the shuttle and extend operations of the International Space Station from 2016 to 2020. However, it urges the President and Congress to reach a compromise on the future of Constellation.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-obama-space-plan-051410-20100513,0,7808927.story
A. In an op-ed from the Orlando Sentinel: Space scientist Alan Stern, a former NASA Associate Administrator for science, endorses President Obama’s space strategy and its emphasis on commercial space transportation.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-alan-stern-spaceflight-051410-20100513,0,765487.story
5. Updates on the Atlantis launch, and live web coverage hosted by Miles O’Brien. www.spaceflightnow.com
A. From Spaceflightnow.com: A report on Atlantis’s march to a final flight.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/100512future/
B. From Space.com: Little known facts about shuttle Atlantis.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/news/7cool-things-space-shuttle-atlantis-100512.html
C. From Florida Today: Hotel rooms sell out as visitors flock to Central Florida to witness the final launch of the shuttle Atlantis.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100514/NEWS02/100513033
D. From the Orlando Sentinel: The last mission of Atlantis is good news for the museums across the country competing for one of the NASA orbiters as a display. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-whats-next-for-shuttles-20100513,0,5467194.story
E. From space.com: Shuttle Atlantis to head for orbit with bacteria aboard for science experiments.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/scienceastronomy/bacteria-shuttle-ride-100513.html
F. From the Palm Beach Post of Florida: As the shuttle program winds down, rocket engine maker Pratt and Whitney sizes up its workforce in at least three states. For many in this Florida community, the fate of NASA’s Constellation program will determine whether they remain or face lay offs.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/hundreds-of-workers-in-palm-beach-county-have-686522.html
G. From Florida Today: Economic development expert Frank DiBello says Space Florida’s goal is to triple the value of its space industry by 2020 through diversification.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100512/NEWS02/5120357/DiBello++Diversification+key+to+space+industry
6. From Universe Today: Jupiter is missing a reddish band in a new round of photographs by an amateur astronomer. The South Equatorial Belt has dimmed in the past year.
http://www.universetoday.com/2010/05/13/jupiter-it-is-a-changing/#more-64322
7. From the New York Times: In an op-ed, astronomer/author Paul Davies explains a new theory about the presence of alien life on Earth, possibly evident in elusive but abundant microbes. If verified, his theory would have wide spread implications for the presence of life on the many Earth-like planets believed to be present in the Milky Way galaxy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/opinion/14davies.html?scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
A. From Space.com: Astronomers look to light reflected off the Earth for clues about life on alien planets.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/scienceastronomy/color-changing-planets-alien-life-100513.html
8. From Discovery.com: Student astronomers discover a fleeing super massive black hole, an object perhaps ejected from its galaxy after two black holes merge.
http://news.discovery.com/space/black-hole-galaxy.html
9. From the Dallas Observer: Armadillo Aerospace makes strides to New Space prominence.
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2010-05-13/news/with-nasa-s-future-uncertain-a-team-of-dallas-rocketeers-competes-in-the-race-to-privatize-the-final-frontier/
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