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Monday’s CSExtra offers a roundup of reporting and commentary on space related activities from the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. In Florida, NASA successfully launches the Mars Science Laboratory. Experts make new efforts to contact Russia’s Mars Phobos soil sample return mission. A solar storm envelops the Earth. NASA seeks new astronauts. United Space Alliance reaches a milestone in efforts to human rate the powerful Atlas V rocket. A key NASA shuttle figure departs. SpaceX expands in Florida. A look ahead at major space policy events planned for the week.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com, Nov. 26: NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory begins an 8 1/2 month journey to Mars on Saturday, as the spacecraft lifts off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The big rover, which is also called Curiosity, will attempt an Aug. 6 landing on Mars.
A. From Collectspace.com, Nov. 26: The Mars bound probe carries a collection of autographs, including those of President Obama, members of the public and a young student who proposed naming the rover “Curiosity.”
http://bit.ly/ufM4Wo
B. From Space.com, Nov. 25: Clara Ma, the Kansas 9th grader who proposed the name “Curiosity” in a NASA naming contest, is among those in Cape Canaveral, Fla., to witness the MSL launching.
http://bit.ly/sSMnma
C. From Florida Today, Nov. 27: NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory send off impresses those who gathered in Florida to watch their first rocket launching.
D. From USA Today, Nov. 26: The MSL/Curiosity as an off the planet SUV.
http://usat.ly/uiuPIn
E. From Space.com, Nov. 25: The Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity rover is due at Mars in August. During the long cruise, mission scientists and engineers will rehearse surface operations that will stretch over one Martian year, or just under 700 Earth days.
http://bit.ly/s4TTE2
F. From Spaceflightnow.com, Nov. 24: What’s next for NASA’s Mars program after the MSL/Curiosity mission? NASA’s 2013 Maven mission consists of an orbiter designed to study the planet’s atmosphere. However, funding issues make plans beyond that murky.
http://bit.ly/sNdjfd
2. From Spacepolicyonline.com, Nov. 25: With help from the European Space Agency, Russian experts established contact with their stranded Mars Phobos-Grunt mission late last week. However, they were unsuccessful on follow-up attempts over the weekend. The mission’s goal is to collect soil samples from the Martian moon Phobos and return them to Earth. The spacecraft has been stranded in Earth orbit since it launched on Nov. 9.
http://bit.ly/vadiOs
A. From MSNBC.com, Nov. 26: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev suggests penalties for those responsible for a recent series of Russian spacecraft mishaps.
http://on.msnbc.com/rEYEhK
B. From Space News, Nov. 25: The window for reaching Mars is closing for Russia’s stranded Mars mission.
http://bit.ly/rygiNf
3. From Spaceweather.com, Nov. 28: The Earth is undergoing a solar radiation storm. While the larger storm is subsiding, a coronal mass ejection is headed for an Earth impact on Monday. Check the website for updates.
http://bit.ly/ttQqyg
4. From the Washington Post, Nov. 26: NASA seeks more astronauts for missions aboard new generations of commercial and exploratory spacecraft. Deadline for application is Jan. 27.
http://wapo.st/uk7noL
5. From the Huntsville Times, Nov. 24: United Launch Alliance moves closer to a human rating for the Atlas V rocket. The launcher is the vehicle of choice for several of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Round 2 participants.
http://bit.ly/vZnfPa
6. From Florida Today, Nov. 27: NASA shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach announces his departure from the space agency, stating he will remain with the aerospace industry in Central Florida.
http://bit.ly/vSZuJR
7. From Space News via Spacetoday.net, Nov. 25: Space Exploration Technologies, SpaceX, is expanding its commercial launch facilities in Florida to accommodate the Falcon 9.
http://bit.ly/uaVXSq
8. From Spacepolicyonline.com, Nov. 27: Major space policy related activities of potential interest during the week ahead.
http://bit.ly/s7NUU5
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