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Friday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting on difficulties aboard the International Space Station late Thursday that prevented an American and two Russians from making a scheduled descent to Earth aboard their Soyuz spacecraft. A 24 hour delay was imposed. Meanwhile in Washington, House lawmakers offer a new version of a 2010 NASA Authorization bill with similarities to a Senate measure adopted in August. The two versions back accelerated developments of a new heavy lift rocket and crewed spacecraft for exploration missions to the moon and beyond. They back the commercial crew transportation systems sought by the White House as well. Also, the National Academy of Sciences sounds new concerns over flagging U.S. proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
1. From Space.com: Problems with a Russian space station latching mechanism prompt a 24 hour delay in the return to Earth of American Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russians Alexander Svortskov and Mikhail Kornienko. Their Soyuz capsule was to descend under parachute into Kazakhstan, touching down on Friday at 12:55 a.m., EDT. With successful troubleshooting, they should return early Saturday.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/missionlaunches/space-station-soyuz-undocking-problems-100924.html
A. From CNET.com: The cause of the undocking problem is not clear. Station cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin finds small damaged gear piece in docking mechanism.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19514_3-20017504-239.html
B. From the Associated Press via the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times: Russian experts point to a problem with a hatch seal in the mechanism separating the station and the Soyuz. There was an unrelated docking problem in July, as a Russian Progress supply craft attempted to dock with the station.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092307348.html
2. From Space News and Space.com: House Science and Technology Committee chairman Bart Gordon unveils a new House 2010 NASA Authorization bill on Thursday, a measure similar to that passed by the full Senate in August. One feature raises the previous funding level for commercial orbital space transportation development from $464 million to $1.2 billion. The Senate version of the authorization measure includes $1.6 billion, still well below the near $6 billion commercial pledge that President Obama favors over a five year period. Congressional aides tell Space News, the new measure, HR 5781, could go to the House floor this week.
http://www.spacenews.com/policy/100923-house-nasa-bill.html
A. From spacepolitics.com: HR 5781was drafted by the House Science and Technology Committee and not necessarily with Senate endorsement.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/09/23/house-releases-compromise-nasa-authorization-bill/
B. From the Orlando Sentinel: The Sentinel characterizes the emergence of the House measure as a “surprise,” though the product of months of negotiations with the Senate. Also, Sentinel also sees the House surrendering what many considered a lingering allegiance to the previous administration’s Constellation back-to-the moon program.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-new-nasa-house-bill-20100923,0,2284633.story
C. From Florida Today: The new House bill edges closer to President Obama’s commercial space transportation plan. The measure includes funding to support an extra shuttle mission to the International Space Station in June 2011.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100924/NEWS02/9240318/House+plan+creeps+closer+to+an+extra+shuttle+trek
D. From the Huntsville Times: The new House measure has little chance of being passed by the full House and reconciled with the Senate version before Congress adjourns next week for the November elections, the Huntsville newspaper reports.
http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/09/house_moves_closer_to_senate_o.html
E. From Aviation Week & Space Technology: The House measure further refines NASA’s future, preserves Constellation’s Orion spacecraft for exploration missions.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awx/2010/09/23/awx_09_23_2010_p0-257022.xml&headline=House
3. From spacepolicyonline.com: The National Academy of Sciences releases Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited. This is a second look at the disturbing conclusions of the 2005 NAS-funded report Rising Above the Gathering Storm, which found the U.S. falling behind other global leaders in STEM education and the nurturing of a technically skilled workforce. In the past five year, the U.S. has slipped even further behind. The NAS urges more investments in education in spite of the economic recession.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1124:national-academies-warn-again-about-nations-sat-competitive-position&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
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