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Thursday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA’s GRAIL mission is scheduled for launching from Cape Canaveral, Fla., at 8:37 a.m., EDT. Launched in 1991 aboard the shuttle Discovery, NASA’s near seven ton Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere soon, the space agency says. In a new report, the National Research Council urges NASA to retain sufficient numbers of astronauts in the post-shuttle era to staff the International Space Station and participate in the development of future spacecraft. The sun unleashes multiple coronal mass ejections this week that are headed in the Earth’s general direction. In Florida, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden expresses confidence in a timely Russian recovery from an Aug. 24th Soyuz rocket failure. A lengthy recovery could prompt a temporary de-staffing of the International Space Station. A look at Star Trek’s enduring story line. Could the tires on NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, pose a contamination threat to the neighboring planet? A space scientist and one time member of the National Space Council pleads guilty to attempted espionage.
1. From Spaceflightnow.com: Updates on NASA’s GRAIL mission, which is scheduled for launching at 8:37 a.m., EDT, — if the weather cooperates. The near $500 million dollar mission includes two spacecraft that will orbit the poles of the moon to more precisely measure the lunar gravitational field. The findings could help to determine the composition of the moon from core to crust.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d356/status.html
A. From Florida Today: Thunderstorms are possible, lowering the prospects of favorable weather conditions at the scheduled launch to just 40 percent. Florida Today offers live coverage of the GRAIL countdown.
http://space.flatoday.net/
2. From The Coalition for Space Exploration: NASA’s Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite, launched in 1991, is expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere soon. NASA will address the debris hazards on Friday. The 6.5 ton spacecraft was a major contributor to the scientific understanding of the seasonal ozone holes and other atmospheric phenomena. Decommissioned six years ago, UARS is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry in late September or early October, say experts.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/blog/nasa-satellite-to-reenter-public-to-be-updated
3. From the Washington Post: A National Research Council panel warns that NASA may lose too many astronauts as the agency transitions through the post-space shuttle era. The space agency will need adequate numbers of the fliers to staff the International Space Station and participate in the development of the spacecraft that will replace the shuttle, according to a study panel that included 13 experts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-needs-more-astronauts-report-says/2011/09/07/gIQAl98Z9J_story.html
4. From Spaceweather.com: The sun erupts at mid week, unleashing three coronal mass ejections that may graze the Earth on Friday or Saturday. Glancing blows could fuel auroral displays and perhaps electronic disruptions. The sun has been unusually active this week. For the latest, check:
http://www.spaceweather.com/
5. From Florida Today: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden expresses support for Russia’s efforts to recover from the Aug. 24 failure of a Soyuz rocket with the Progress 44 cargo capsule on board. A similar rocket is used to launch astronauts to the International Space Station. It’s unlikely the space station will have to be temporarily de-staffed as Russia investigates, Bolden says.
http://space.flatoday.net/2011/09/nasa-chief-station-evacuation-unlikely.html
6. From Space.com: Star Trek, the television series that debuted in the 1966, is still airing strong and returning to the big screen. The space website takes a look at the enduring popularity of this science fiction series.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/12844-star-trek-popular-45-years.html
7. From Discovery.com: NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, the next rover aimed at the Red Planet, is equipped with big wheels. Could the wheels become a source of unwanted terrestrial contamination of Mars. The website takes a look at the issue.
http://news.discovery.com/space/could-new-rover-wheels-deliver-microbes-to-mars-110907.html
8. From the Washington Post: Stewart Nozette, an astrophysicist who served on the White House National Space Council of a previous administration, pleads guilty on Wednesday to attempted espionage in connection with the attempted sale of classified information to an undercover FBI agent in 2009.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/chevy-chase-scientist-stewart-nozette-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-espionage/2011/09/07/gIQA91XeAK_story.html
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