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Friday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space-related events from around the world. In orbit, the Endeavour astronauts carry out the final spacewalk of their mission to the International Space Station. A Congressional oversight panel casts doubt on NASA’s use of commercial space transportation companies to re-supply the space station. A look at the commentary this week that accompanied the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s speech to Congress that set NASA’s Apollo moon missions into motion. And galaxies in collision — it’s just part of getting old.
1. From Florida Today: Endeavour astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff walk outside the International Space Station overnight on what was the final spacewalk assigned to a space shuttle crew. Along the way, Fincke and Chamitoff surpass the 1,000 hour mark for spacewalk time devoted to the assembly and maintenance of the orbiting science laboratory. Assembly began in 1998. http://space.flatoday.net/2011/05/station-project-tops-1000-spacewalking.html
A. From Space.com: Endeavour commander Mark Kelly says he speaks nightly from the shuttle/space station with his wife, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords is recovering in Houston from the gunshot wound she received in January. Kelly describes plans for a video conference with Giffords from the station’s cupola, a multi-windowed observation deck, to show her the sights, including the Earth below.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/11795-giffords-astronaut-husband-earth-view-space.html
2. From Space News: Members of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee challenge the wisdom of NASA’s decision to contract with two commercial companies for the delivery of cargo to the International Space Station once the shuttle retires. NASA is gambling the future of the station, according to the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
http://www.spacenews.com/policy/110526-lawmakers-wary-station-plan.html
A. From the Orlando Sentinel: NASA’s strategy to use commercial space companies to transport cargo to the International Space Station in the post-shuttle era is nearly two years behind schedule and has cost $300 million more than anticipated, according to testimony and a report from Congressional auditors presented to the House Space and Aeronautics Committee on Thursday. A NASA official characterizes the setbacks as not uncommon and that the agency is pleased overall with the initiative. The two companies involved in the effort are expected to begin cargo deliveries in 2012. The program, started in 2005, has fostered the initiative with $800 million.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-congress-slams-commercial-20110526,0,780817.story
B. From Spacepolicyonline.com: A House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee hearing on Thursday features evidence the cost per pound for commercial cargo delivering services to the International Space Station will cost more than either NASA’s space shuttle or the Russian Progress cargo capsule.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1592:commercial-cargo-will-cost-more-than-shuttle-delivered-cargo-says-congressional-document&catid=83:news&Itemid=76
3. From Spacepolitics.com: The website takes a look at some of the newspaper op-ed commentary this week accompanying the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s moon speech to a joint session of Congress, especially one in USA Today by Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan and Jim Lovell. The speech set the Apollo moon landings in motion. Currently, policy makers are struggling to reach consensus on the future of U. S. human spaceflight. Clearly the times have changed and the website concludes, “The challenge today is either to come up with a new compelling rationale for human spaceflight that makes it a higher priority and thus wins support for additional funding, or to find new ways to make do with less.”
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/05/26/did-three-astronauts-miss-the-point/
A. From The New York Times: The moon’s interior may be as rich in water as the Earth’s, according to a new study of the Apollo moon rocks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/science/space/27moon.html?_r=2&ref=science
B. From Collectspace.com: An update on a NASA sting last week that stopped the illegal sale of a moon rock.
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052511a.html
4. From MSNBC.com: At the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, scientists piece together how star systems like the Milky Way galaxy evolve through violent collisions that unfold over hundreds of millions of years.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/26/6723738-galactic-train-wrecks-show-our-future
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