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Today’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Space enthusiasts offer the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee recommendations on NASA’s priorities. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft takes best images yet of Pluto. Pluto images reveal possible polar ice cap. NASA’s Messenger mission to crash into Mercury on Thursday. The U.S. led, multi-national James Webb Space Telescope will build on Hubble’s successes with observations of the universe in new wavelengths. Russia probes loss of latest Progress re-supply mission to the International Space Station. Wayward Progress cargo capsule to plummet into the Earth’s atmosphere soon. U.S. House appropriators reject small budget increase for FAA’s commercial spaceflight office, which is responsible for regulating the growing industry. Blue Origin reports successful unpiloted test flight of New Shepard suborbital rocket.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Proposed NASA Authorization Bill Draws Mixed Reviews From Stakeholders
Spacepolicyonline (4/29): The U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee will markup a NASA authorization measure for 2016-17 on Thursday. Three pro-space organizations offer their recommendations.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Pluto’s landscapes come into view as New Horizons closes in
Science News (4/29): NASA’s News Horizons missions offers the best images yet of distant Pluto. The imagery, now better than possible with the Hubble Space Telescope, should continue to improve as the spacecraft closes in on the first ever flyby of the small planetary object on July 14.
NASA Probe Spies Possible Polar Ice Cap on Pluto
Discovery.com (4/29): Images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft suggest distant Pluto may have a polar ice cap. The probe is on a course to carry out the first flyby of Pluto on July 14.
R.I.P. MESSENGER: The little spacecraft that could
Washington Post (4/30): Thursday is to mark the end of NASA’s Messenger mission around planet Mercury. Out of fuel, the small spacecraft is expected to crash to Mercury’s surface. Messenger’s findings, however, continue to alter conventional thinking on the way planets form.
James Webb Space Telescope Poised to Take Hubble’s Legacy Further
Spaceflight Insider (4/29): The U.S., European and Canadian James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is making its way toward an October 2018 launching. Once in orbit around the sun, the JWST will expand Hubble’s visible and ultraviolet view of the distant universe. JWST will look back in infrared wavelengths that should reveal the universe’s earliest era.
Low Earth Orbit
Russian Space Station Cargo Ship Is Said to Be Out of Control
New York Times (4/25): Russian flight controllers give up on efforts to recover the Progress 59 re-supply mission launched to the International Space Station on Tuesday. The uncontrolled freighter is destined to plummet into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Defunct cargo spacecraft to be deorbited May 5-7 Russian space agency
TASS, of Russia (4/29): Launched early Tuesday and out of control, Russia’s latest Progress re-supply mission to the International Space Station is predicted to make a destructive re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere between May 5 and 7.
Progress failure probe narrows in on separation from rocket
Spaceflightnow.com (4/29): Tuesday’s Progress re-supply mission loss may have started with a “botched” separation of the cargo capsule from the Soyuz rocket’s third stage, according to the report. Tracking by the U.S. military’s Joint Space Operations Center reported a cloud of debris around the Progress and the Soyuz third stage.
Progress M-27M Latest Woe for Russian Space Program
Spaceflight Insider (4/29): Russia’s out of control re-supply mission to the International Space Station is the latest in a series of difficulties faced by one of the world’s leading space powers.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
House Appropriators Reject Budget Increase for FAA Commercial Space Office
Space News (4/29): U.S. House appropriators opposed a $1.5 million budget increase for the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation in fiscal year 2016. The office is funded at $16.6 million annually and responsible for the regulation of the growing commercial space industry. The FAA is seeking more staff.
Suborbital
Blue Origin launches sub-orbital New Shepard test flight
CBS News (4/30): Blue Origin conducted a test flight of its New Shepard suborbital spacecraft on Wednesday. The liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen fueled test rocket and unpiloted capsule rose to an altitude of 307,000 feet over the company’s West Texas test facilities. The mock capsule parachuted to the ground, following separation. However, efforts to recover the rocket stage with a vertical landing were not successful due to a hydraulic system problem. More testing of the vehicle under development to carry passengers and cargo is expected soon, according to the report. Includes video.
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