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Friday’s CSExtra offers a collection of the latest reporting on space related events from around the globe. A top NASA official cites the urgency of commercial space transportation services. Safe guarding the Apollo landing sites from future lunar commercial activity. Could watery planets be a common feature throughout the universe? Russia bids to launch from French Guiana. SpaceX and Orbital Sciences announce developments in their pursuit of commercial crew and cargo transportation services. Annual Antarctic ozone loss reaches its ninth highest level in 2011. DARPA looks to orbital space debris as a resource to be recycled. A new calling for NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
1. From MSNBC and Cosmic Log: In an appearance before the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight, NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver underscores the urgency of sufficient funding for NASA’s commercial spaceflight programs. NASA will continue to pay Russia $450 million annually for the launching of astronauts until U. S. commercial transportation services emerge, Garver tells the gathering in New Mexico.
http://on.msnbc.com/nBemzI
A. From the Coalition for Space Exploration: At the same symposium, anthropologists from New Mexico State University join a NASA representative in proposing measures to protect the Apollo lunar mission landing sites from future commercial encroachment. No-fly and ground buffer zones are suggested for the Apollo 11 and 17 landing sites. Efforts are also under way to establish national historic landmark designations, especially for Tranquility Base.
2. From the Washington Post: Where did the Earth’s oceans come from?. The European Space Agency’s Hershel space telescope has made observations that help to shed light on an answer that also suggests watery planets may be common. The observatory spotted a ring of icy moisture surrounding a star 175 light years from Earth. A disk of dust around the star suggests planet formation is under way — much as it was in our solar system 4.5 billion years ago. The two observations add to the evidence the Earth’s oceans came from colliding comets and asteroids comprised of the dust and ice from similar ring like features.
http://wapo.st/qWTJh4
3. From Spaceflightnow.com: Scrubbed Thursday, Russia’s first Soyuz mission from French Guiana is poised for a second launch attempt early Friday. The Russian rocket is carrying a pair of navigation system satellites. The website will offer updates on the flight or future attempts.
http://bit.ly/oIUd2R
4. Two from Florida Today on NASA’s commercial crew and cargo transportation services:
A. NASA okays the preliminary design for a launch abort system for SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. The escape system is an essential part of NASA’s vision for a commercial space transportation system that can take astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
http://bit.ly/oybQeD
B. Orbital Sciences Corp., which is developing a commercial cargo delivery service for the International Space Station, moves a developmental flight test from late 2010 to early 2011 to provide more time for the construction of a Virginia launch pad.
5. From the Huntsville Times: NASA says seasonal Antarctic Ozone loss in 2011 was the ninth highest on record. Scientists point to cold temperature in the stratosphere as a key factor. The loss was not unexpected given the levels of ozone depleting chemicals in the atmosphere, say experts.
6. From Space.com: The Department Advanced Research Projects Agency examines the prospect of re-cycling the thousands of pieces of man made orbital space junk into useful satellites or satellite parts. The program is called Phoenix.
http://bit.ly/mWglH8
7. From the Hampton Daily News of Virginia: Virginia lawmakers urge NASA to consider use of the Wallops Flight Facility by the Navy as a training site for carrier landings as well as a test range for military drones.
http://bit.ly/qU3itv
Brought to you by the Coalition for Space Exploration, CSExtra is a daily compilation of space industry news selected from hundreds of online media resources. The Coalition is not the author or reporter of any of the stories appearing in CSExtra and does not control and is not responsible for the content of any of these stories. The content available through CSExtra contains links to other websites and domains which are wholly independent of the Coalition, and the Coalition makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information contained in any such site or domain and does not pre-screen or approve any content. The Coalition does not endorse or receive any type of compensation from the included media outlets and is not responsible or liable in any way for any content of CSExtra or for any loss, damage or injury incurred as a result of any content appearing in CSExtra. For information on the Coalition, visit www.space.com or contact us via e-mail at Info@space.com.