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Thursday’s space news scan offers the latest reporting on space related activities from around the globe. At the International Space Station, Discovery’s astronauts are to receive a call from President Obama at 5:03 p.m., EST, which will be televised on NASA TV. The shuttle crew will receive some off duty time, continue with cargo exchanges and repair lift support systems. The Mission Management Team may add another day to the flight. In Washington, President Obama signs a new budget Continuing Resolution that keeps the federal government operating through March 18. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden appears before the House Science, Space and Technology Committee to discuss the agency’s 2012 budget proposal. Many on the panel see a lack of commitment to a new heavy lift rocket and a multipurpose crew vehicle for missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. More on new field center program assignments handed out by NASA earlier this week. Scientists warn of early signs of species extinction. Russia forges ahead with a global navigation system.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com: Discovery’s astronauts finish their mission’s second and final spacewalk on Wednesday, taking care of a long list of International Space Station maintenance tasks. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/110302fd7/index2.html
A. From the Associated Press via the Washington Post: Thursday’s activities aboard the International Space Station and shuttle Discovery include cargo transfers, repairs to the U. S. and Russian carbon dioxide removal systems as well as some off duty time. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2011/03/03/AR2011030300667.html
2. From Spacepolicyonline.com: The Senate passed and President Obama signed a new budget Continuing Resolution on Wednesday that prevents a March 4 government shutdown. The new measure extends operations until March 18, though most federal agencies are restricted to terms of the 2010 appropriations law.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1464:president-signs-two-week-cr-into-law&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
A. From the Orlando Sentinel: The latest Continuing Resolution requires NASA to spend another $20 million on the all but cancelled Constellation program.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/2011/03/stopgap-spending-measure-means-20m-more-in-wasted-nasa-bucks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fspace%2Fspace_blog+%28Space+Blog+The+Write+Stuff%29
3. From Spacepolicyonline.com: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden appears before the House Science, Space and Technology Committee on Wednesday to address the president’s proposed 2012 budget. Legislators claim the president’s spending plan is a “flip flop” of the priorities spelled out in the 2010 NASA Authorization Bill that most support and President Obama signed into law in October.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1463:house-ssat-committee-charges-administration-with-flipping-priorities-in-fy2012-budget-request&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
A. Space.com: White House spending on commercial space development emerges as a point of contention in the House hearing. http://www.exploredeepspace.com/11008-nasa-chief-space-budget-congress.html
B. From Florida Today: “Frankly, we are exasperated,” House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Chairman Ralph Hall, R-Texas, tells NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. Legislators say the White House is not listening to the committee’s sense of urgency about the development of a rocket and spacecraft that can astronauts on deep space missions. http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110303/NEWS02/103030324/Budget-raises-fears-NASA-future?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Space%20News
C. From Spacepolitics.com: More than 50 influential leaders from the U. S. aerospace community urge support for the White House/NASA commercial space transportation initiative. http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/03/02/space-leaders-call-for-commercial-crew-funding/
D. From Spacepolicyonline.com: NASA solicits proposals for a revived NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts. The nine-year-old institute that was established to look for breakthrough concepts in aeronautics and space exploration was dismantled in 2007 for budgetary reasons.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1461:niac2-gets-underway-at-nasa-two-other-technology-solicitations-announced&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
4. From Spaceflightnow.com: NASA assigns program management lead roles to three of its human spaceflight centers this week. Kennedy will lead development of commercial crew systems. Marshall will lead work on the Space Launch System. Johnson will lead work on the Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle, using past development of the Orion vehicle as a foundation. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1103/02centers/
A. From the Orlando Sentinel: Earlier this week, NASA announces that the Kennedy Space Center will host the agency commercial crew program office.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/2011/03/ksc-to-get-commercial-crew-office.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fspace%2Fspace_blog+%28Space+Blog+The+Write+Stuff%29
5. From USA Today and Nature, the British science journal: The Earth may be entering a sixth extinction period, some experts warn. They find nearly 19,000 species facing a survival threat because of human encroachment or climate change. The Earth has faced a similar crisis five times in the past 540 million years, the experts estimate.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2011-03-02-next-mass-extinction_N.htm
6. From Space News: In Europe, Russia vows to bring its Glonass satellite navigation network up to par with the U. S. Global Positioning System in spite of Europe’s decision to pass on a stake in the project. Meanwhile, Europe’ Galileo system is struggling for funds. http://www.spacenews.com/military/110302russias-navigation-constellation-almost-fully-restored.html
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