Monday’s CSExtra leads with NASA’s continued work on the Ares 1 rocket, though the Constellation program is facing cancellation. More on space policy and NASA’s future. Meanwhile, shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on Sunday. Shuttle astronauts Garrett Reisman and Steve Bowen to carry out a 6.5 hour spacewalk starting Monday at 8:30 a.m., EDT, for the installation of a spare communications antenna on the station. For updates: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/status.html
1. From the New York Times: NASA is pressing ahead with work on the Area1 rocket , though the White House intends to cancel it as part of the Constellation Program. The schedule NASA is following calls for additional test flights in March 2013 and March 2014, culminating with a piloted mission to the International Space Station in late 2014. NASA says the work should proceed until Congress acts on the President’s request.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/science/space/17rocket.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
A. From Spacepolitics.com: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson speaks of efforts to add an additional shuttle mission in 2011. Nelson, a Florida Democrat, reasons the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer will not be ready for the current final scheduled shuttle mission aboard Endeavour in late November. The flight, which will depend on Atlantis as a rescue vehicle, will slip to 2011. So why not launch Atlantis again after it fulfills a launch on need requirement for Endeavour and the AMS mission, Nelson reasons. NASA would like Atlantis to fly again in June 2011 to close out the shuttle program.
Nelson also speaks of efforts to press ahead with the development of the Ares 1 and 5 rockets, noting the Senate is skeptical about the safety of a commercial alternative.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/05/16/commercial-vs-ares/
2. From Spaceflightnow.com: The USAF prepares test flights of the X-51 Waverider, a scram jet propelled aircraft/spacecraft, from Edward Air Force Base, Calif. If operating by 2025, scram jets could power a new space launch capability or serve as missiles capable of striking anywhere on the Earth within 60 minutes, according to SFN. Testing could begin as soon as May 25.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1005/16waverider/
3. From This Week in Space with Miles O’Brien: A look at Friday’s lift off of shuttle Atlantis and a discussion of prospects of an additional Atlantis mission. Also reports on Orion as a space station life boat, and the future of USA, NASA’s shuttle prime contractor, after the shuttle. Jeanne Kranz represents the Coalition for Space Exploration in a space policy discussion.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPIgYfBJftI&feature=player_embedded
A. From Florida Today and John Kelly: The newspaper interacts with readers during the launch of the shuttle Atlantis. Florida Today response to questions from the Central Florida community.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100516/COLUMNISTS0405/5160337/1229/COLUMNISTS0405/Kelly++Reader+questions+intriguing
4. From the Huntsville Times: An editorial citing testimony from Apollo11 commander Neil Armstrong before the Senate last week, the Huntsville Times says that under President Obama’s leadership NASA is headed toward mediocrity.
http://blog.al.com/times-views/2010/05/editorial_commitment_to_medioc.html
5. From Space.com: Japan to launch a planetary probe, Akatsuki, to Venus today.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/scienceastronomy/venus-mysteries-japanese-mission-100517.html
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