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Friday’s CSExtra offers a collection of the latest reporting and commentary on space-related activities from around the globe. The launching of NASA’s lunar GRAIL mission slips from Thursday to Friday and then to early Saturday. Russia points to a manufacturing flaw as the cause of the Aug. 24 Soyuz launch failure. ATK carries out a successful ground test firing of a rocket motor with space shuttle heritage that could play a role in a future NASA heavy lift rocket or commercial space pursuits. Looking for Mercury.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com: NASA’s GRAIL mission is slated for a second launch attempt early Saturday. The launching of the dual spacecraft lunar mission was scrubbed Thursday by high altitude winds. The lift off was re-scheduled for early Friday then postponed until Saturday. The weekend weather outlook is marginally favorable. There are two lift off times on Saturday, 8:29:45 a.m. and 9:08:52 a.m., EDT.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d356/delay.html
A. From Florida Today: The decision to delay GRAIL’s second launch attempt from Friday until Saturday was prompted by data gathered as fuel was drained from the mission’s Delta II rocket.
http://space.flatoday.net/2011/09/nasa-lunar-launch-delayed-until.html
2. From the Associated Press via the Houston Chronicle: In Russia experts say the cause of an Aug. 24 Soyuz rocket failure was an accidental manufacturing flaw in the gas generator of the third stage propulsion hardware.
http://www.chron.com/default/article/Soyuz-crash-blamed-on-manufacturing-flaw-2161412.php
A. From Ria Novosti of Russia: The Russian commission investigating the Soyuz/Progress loss urges tighter controls over rocket manufacturing processes in response to the Aug. 24 Soyuz failure.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20110909/166558139.html
B. From Spacepolicyonline.com: Will Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for human exploration and operations, expresses confidence in efforts by the Russians to recover from the Nov. 24 loss of a Soyuz rocket with a Progress resupply capsule destined for the International Space Station. The Russians use a similar rocket to launch crews to the space station as well, and a lengthy return to flight could force the U.S. led, 15 nation station partnership to temporarily de-staff the orbital outpost. Station managers are looking to a mid-November decision.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1843:gerstenmaier-confident-station-wont-need-to-be-destaffed&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
3. In Utah, ATK conducts a successful ground test firing of a five-segment solid rocket booster that has space shuttle propulsion heritage. Once destined for the Ares 1 rocket, the longer version of the shuttle SRB could become a component of a new NASA heavy lift rocket or find commercial uses. It was the third successful ground test of the five segment configuration. Two previous tests were conducted during milder weather conditions.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/12886-worlds-largest-solid-rocket-atk-nasa-test-liberty.html
A. From Spacepolitics.com: U. S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Bill Nelson, of Texas and Florida, issue statements expressing frustration over the lengthy pace of efforts by the White House to settle on a development plan and timetable for a new NASA heavy lift rocket for future human space exploration. Hutchison serves as ranking Republican on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Nelson as the chair of the panel’s space subcommittee. Cost estimates seem to be at the heart of the issue.
4. From Space.com: Mercury, considered one of the most difficult of planets to observe, will be visible before sunrise through Sept. 15 — where skies are clear. The website explains where and when to look.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/12885-elusive-planet-mercury-skywatching-tips.html
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.