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Tuesday’s CSExtra offers reaction to Monday’s announcement that the House will attempt to pass the Senate’s version of a 2010 NASA authorization bill, rather than wait on passage of a House measure. The latest strategy, which will provide NASA with a blue print for the 2011 fiscal year starting Friday, was announced Monday afternoon by U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, chair of the House Science and Technology Committee. A House vote on the measure passed by the full Senate in August is set for Wednesday. Many urge passage rather than leaving NASA adrift with the looming retirement of the shuttle and almost certain cancellation of the Constellation Program… More, too, from the International Aeronautics Congress in Prague, where Russia reveals deep space exploration plans. NASA Chief to visit China in October, and a look at how NASA might implement a “flexible path” exploration strategy.
1. From SpacePolitics.com: U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, Chair of the House Science and Technology Committee, says the House is poised to vote Wednesday on the Senate’s version of a 2010 NASA authorization bill. His announcement follows opposition from commercial space advocates to the amended House version of a NASA blue print he unveiled last week.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/09/27/gordon-house-to-vote-on-senate-authorization-bill-wednesday/
A. From the Orlando Sentinel and the Los Angeles Times: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson tells a University of Central Florida audience on Monday that NASA is “teetering on the edge.” There’s no time for Congress to take up an amended version of a House 2010 NASA authorization bill unveiled last week, says Nelson. Nelson was a chief architect of the Senate measure the House will consider on Wednesday.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-nasa-future-worries-nelson-20100927,0,2287015.story
B. From the Houston Chronicle: In Texas, key lawmakers rally behind the Senate’s 2010 NASA authorization measures and new plans to back it with a House vote on Wednesday. The strategy is expected to help preserve the Johnson Space Center’s leadership role in human spaceflight and stave off some job losses.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/7220742.html
C. From the Huntsville Times: The newspaper calls the House strategy to vote on the Senate plan favorable for future heavy lift rocket development at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The report also notes the Congressional appropriations process offers another opportunity to make changes in NASA’s future course.
http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/09/senate_version_wins_debate_as.html
D. From Florida Today: House passage of the Senate measure would end uncertainty for NASA as the 2011 fiscal year begins on Friday, Oct. 1. Wednesday’s vote will require a rules suspension and a 2/3 majority to pass. Consideration of an appropriations measure will likely follow the November elections.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100928/NEWS02/9280323/1086/Leaders+predict+NASA+funding
E. From MSNBC’s Cosmic Log: Bart Gordon’s latest strategy wins support from The Commercial Space Flight Federation, which calls for immediate passage of the Senate measure by the House. The Space Access Society, however, cautions that House rules make passage no sure thing.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/09/27/5190940-truce-called-in-space-tug-of-war
F. From The Hill: Commercial support for House passage of the Senate authorization measure on Wednesday brings the promise of an additional $400 million in NASA-sponsored private sector space development. http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/121129-house-to-consider-senate-nasa-reauthorization-bill
G. From the Daily Caller: Gordon’s decision to back the Senate version of a 2010 NASA Authorization bill has the potential to end months of debate over NASA’s future, while placing the space agency on a more sound financial footing.
http://dailycaller.com/2010/09/27/house-to-move-forward-on-senate-version-of-nasa-authorization-bill/
H. From Spacepolicyonline.com: Gordon says he remains skeptical of some provisions of the Senate authorization bill.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1137:gordon-house-to-vote-on-senate-nasa-authorization-bill-wednesday&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
2. From Aviation Week & Space Technology: NASA Administration Charles Bolden will travel to China in October to meet with the country’s space leaders and perhaps tour key facilities. The agenda may include discussions of closer ties in human spaceflight, according to Aviation Week.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awx/2010/09/27/awx_09_27_2010_p0-257405.xml&headline=NASA
3. From the Coalition for Space Exploration: Experts from around the globe gather in Prague to discuss future space exploration plans as part of the 61st International Aeronautical Congress. Russian officials reveal plans for a heavy lift rocket and nuclear in-space propulsion; technologies intended to hasten the human exploration of Mars.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/newsroom/capitol-hill-news/space-leaders-outline-issues-challenges-ahead
4. Two From The Space Review:
A. From The Space Review: In “Charting a Flexible Path,” senior editor Jeff Foust examines the short history of a “‘flexible path” approach to future human space exploration. The concept, introduced by the Obama administration-sponsored Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Committee (Augustine 2009), has emerged as a central theme in the compromise House and Senate NASA authorization measures. It drops the moon as a destination for surface exploration and introduces Near Earth Objects as new destinations. It holds the prospect of making future exploration more affordable. However, Mars becomes a destination that can’t be reached for decades.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1702/1
B. From The Space Review: In ‘(Anti-)Socialism in Space,” Texas A & M University’s Jonathan Coopersmith, whose academic focus is the history of technology, assesses the significance of President Obama’s space agenda. He finds the strategy both “exciting” and of lasting significance, especially the investments in new technology and commercial space development.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1701/1
5. From Florida Today: The last of the shuttle program’s external fuel tanks arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Monday. Assigned to Endeavour’s scheduled launching on Feb. 26, the tank was shipped from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La., last week.
http://space.flatoday.net/2010/09/last-external-tank-docked-at-ksc.html
6. From Space.com: Two Australian companies develop a beer for consumption in zero gravity as well as on the Earth. Testing will begin in November aboard Zero Gravity Corp’s aircraft.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/news/testing-space-beer-100927.html
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