Saturday’s CSExtra features more reporting on Congressional deliberations over the future of NASA’s Constellation Program. More on the soon-to-be-released White House space policy that will seek greater international cooperation and promote greater commercial uses of space.
1. From the New York Times: The contractor workforce is caught in the middle as Congress and the White House debate the future of NASA’s Constellation back to the moon program. Workers NASA would need for the initiative are loosing their jobs as the agency moves to force the companies to set aside contract termination expenses in response to White House cancellation plans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/science/space/26nasa.html?sq=NASA&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=2&adxnnlx=1277548787-1uh1kCCLCMDbaoGS0xxNRQ
A. From the Houston Chronicle: The House Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over NASA is expected to vote next week on Constellation’s fate. The vote follows four months of debate between those who support the program and those who back President Obama’s plans to cancel Constellation. The full committee will also vote on a Senate measure that restricts NASA from forcing contractors to set aside contract termination fees.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/7081470.html
B. From Florida Today: Senators from states with NASA installations write President Obama on the Constellation contract termination issues warning him that jobs are at stake.
http://flametrench.flatoday.net/
2. From Space News: The administration’s new U.S. space policy will emphasize international cooperation as well as more commercial uses of space. The report is based on a summary of the policy obtained by the trade publication. The policy will be formally presented on June 28.
http://www.spacenews.com/policy/100625-space-policy-emphasize-cooperation.html
A. From Spaceflightnow.com: Russia has not extended an invitation to China to join the International Space Station partnership, NASA informs western news media who check out a report of the invitation on the Russian space agency’s web site. This may clarify a report early Friday that suggested the Russians had extended an invitation. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/25china/
B. From Aviation Week & Space Technology: NASA looks to more international cooperation as Deputy Administrator Lori Garver visits Europe. Earth science missions may be especially fertile ground for cooperation.
http://www.aviationnow.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awst/2010/06/14/AW_06_14_2010_p41-233362.xml&headline=U.S.%20Seeking%20Expanded%20Space%20Cooperation&channel=space
3. From Space News: Orbital Sciences Corp urges NASA to consider placing its latest plans for an International Space Station life boat using the Orion capsule up for bids. Lockheed Martin developed Orion as part of the Constellation program that is currently facing cancellation. In April, the President suggested Orion be revived but did not discuss how the change in missions for the capsule would be financed.
http://www.spacenews.com/civil/100625-orbital-urges-orion-lifeboat-competition.html
A. From Space.com: Boeing is developing a commercial seven-person spacecraft, the CST 100, that could transport people to and from the International Space Station. Bigelow Aerospace and its commercial space stations are another potential customer for a Boeing space transport.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/businesstechnology/boeing-new-capsule-concept-100625.html
4. From the Huffington Post: NASA intends to resume funding for the production of plutonium 238 as an electrical power source for robotic spacecraft as well as develop reactors to accelerate missions to Mars.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karl-grossman/obama-seeks-to-revive-spa_b_625356.html
5. From Spacepolicyonline.com: In Japan scientists begin the of opening the Hayabusa spacecraft capsule that descended into remote Australian after a seven-year round trip mission to an asteroid. Also, Japan considers a follow up asteroid mission.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=996:japanese-scientists-begin-to-open-hayabusa-sample-return-capsule&catid=91:news&Itemid=84
A. The Spaceflightnow.com version: NASA personnel assist Japanese scientists as they open Hayabusa. The asteroid grains that may be inside the return capsule hold materials no larger that 1/25th of an inch in diameter.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/25hayabusa/
6. From the Orlando Sentinel: Space Florida, an economic development group, finds hope for laid off NASA workers in a car company that plans to use NASA technologies to produce “green” automobiles.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/2010/06/space-florida-signs-deal-with-space-age-green-car-maker.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fspace%2Fspace_blog+%28Space+Blog+The+Write+Stuff%29
To subscribe to CSExtra via RSS feed click here.
If you would prefer to receive CSExtra in e-mail format, e-mail us at Info@space.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
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.