Sunday’s CSE Extra. Shuttle Atlantis closes in on the International Space Station. Docking expected Sunday at 9:27 a.m., CDT. The Link up will start a one week visit that will unite 12 U.S. Russian and Japanese astronauts on the station for the installation of a new Russian module. The first of three spacewalks by the shuttle crew gets under way on Monday at 7:15 a.m. CDT. Also, more reporting and commentary on U. S. space policy and NASA’s future.
1. Aboard Atlantis the astronauts are preparing to dock with the International Space Station. On Saturday, a pinched power and data cable forced them to use a backup means for the inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield. Mission Control prepares for but calls off a maneuver by the space station to avoid a piece of unidentified space junk.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/100515fd2/index2.html
A. From the AP via the Washington Post, Atlantis closes in on the space station early Sunday,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051600394.html
B. From Florida Today, regular updates as Atlantis docks with the space station,
http://flametrench.flatoday.net/
2. From Space.ref.com, young writer Jason Rhian evaluates cable, website news coverage of the last scheduled launching of shuttle Atlantis. He finds attention to the orbiter’s final mission lacking.
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1393
3. From Aviation Week & Space Technology, A look at the political forces shaping NASA’s authorization and spending measures for 2011.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awst/2010/05/17/AW_05_17_2010_p32-226274.xml&headline=NASA,%20Congress%20Inch%20Toward%20Compromise&channel=awst
A. From the Deseret News of Utah, an editorial urging rejection of President Obama’s space policy. The editorial makes prominent mention of Apollo astronaut Neil Armstrong’s appearance before a Senate panel last week.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700032532/Reject-Obamas-space-plan.html
B. From the Galveston (Texas) Daily News and NASAwatch.com — A report on two rallies on Friday that focused on NASA and looming job losses in the Houston area as the shuttle is retired. One hosted by the Democrats and labor unions focused on job losses. Another sponsored by local tea party organizations and Republicans urged the re-election defeat of President Obama.
http://www.galvnews.com/story/156650
4. From Space News, The James Webb Space Telescope, a NASA and European Space Agency collaboration to replace the Hubble Space Telescope, faces at least a four month launch delay, or until October 2014. More ground testing is needed, and the delay could grow longer if Congress does not approve funds for an unrelated short fall. http://www.spacenews.com/civil/100514-test-regime-delay-webb.html
5. From Space News a recent report on Sea Launch, as the company emerges from bankruptcy with new Russian backing
http://www.spacenews.com/launch/100514-sealaunch-resume-launch-2011.html
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