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Wednesday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related events from around the world. The last days of NASA’s successful final shuttle mission continue to generate discussion about the future of human spaceflight. The shuttle crew deployed a small satellite early Wednesday. They are due back at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Thursday at 5:56 a.m., EDT. Favorable weather is expected. As Atlantis lands, tears will flow in Titusville, Fla. In Houston, shuttle workers are finding employment in the growing energy sector. With their technical skills, NASA workers could be retrained to inspect Gulf oil rigs, say Texas lawmakers. The glow of NASA’s Mission Control will dim as the final shuttle mission touches down. The future of human space flight appears “cloudy” even with long range goals of reaching an asteroid and eventually Mars. In a U-turn, former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin urges a shuttle program extension. At the Pentagon, the shuttle’s retirement brings new concerns for the future of the nation’s aerospace industrial base. Better dialogue with China on space would improve orbital congestion, says a Pentagon official. Collectors snap up shuttle memorabilia.
1. From Space.com: The Atlantis astronauts deploy a small satellite, Pico Sat, during their last full day in orbit. The four astronauts assigned to NASA’s final shuttle program flight are scheduled to touchdown at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Thursday at 5:56 a.m., EDT. Favorable weather is forecast. The 13-day final flight delivered supplies to the International Space Station.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/12354-final-space-shuttle-satellite-deployment-picosat.html
A. From Florida Today: The residents of Titusville, Fla., will shed some tears as Atlantis touches down at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, says one who has lived in the space community for decades. “I describe us as a quiet little fishing village that put people on the moon,” says hotel worker Nancy Evans, who regularly hosts members of the aerospace industry.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110720/NEWS02/107200332/Nancy-Evans-expects-lot-tears-
B. From Orlando Sentinel: The ground track of the shuttle’s final descent will bring Atlantis over regions of Florida.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-space-shuttle-atlantis-landing-pat20110719,0,6171963.story
2. From the Houston Chronicle: Many NASA workers with professional ties to the retiring space shuttle program are finding new employment in a revived energy sector. However, it’s unclear whether there are enough openings to absorb new rounds of space workers facing layoffs. It’s also unclear how well a background in spaceflight will transfer to the diverse energy sector, the Chronicle reports.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7660674.html
A. From the Houston Chronicle: Members of NASA’s workforce with engineering and technical skills who are facing job losses with the retirement of the shuttle should be retrained to inspect Gulf oil rigs, say 15 members of the Texas congressional delegation. “The inspection of offshore oil and gas facilities requires these traits and so it makes sense for the Department of Interior to look closely at these individuals for employment in this area,” according to the lawmakers.
http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/07/houston-area-house-members-call-for-shuttle-workforce-to-be-retrained-to-inspect-offshore-oil-rigs/
3. From the Associated Press: NASA’s Mission Control Center, the hub of human spaceflight and a cathedral to those who have worked there, will loose a crucial focus as the shuttle program retires.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jcqddiIBmWvLGXR245YuqKfh4ufw?docId=3276a97177674a7983ea0aa858e3a545
4. From the Los Angeles Times: As NASA’s final shuttle mission draws to a close, the future looks “cloudy,” the Times writes. While agency planners say a future asteroid mission could be the next stop, there is uncertainty over which asteroid, when and how such an expedition would be under taken.
http://www.latimes.com/news/natin/la-na-nasa-future-20110719,0,7758662.story
A. From Space News and the Houston Chronicle: In an e-mail circulating among NASA workers, the agency’s former administrator, Mike Griffin, says the space shuttle should continue to fly. His decision to retire the orbiters was based on a willingness to stand down in an era of limited budgets and in the belief the savings would quickly fund a successor, Orion and the Ares 1 rocket. The Ares 1 has since been cancelled.
http://www.spacenews.com/commentaries/110719-fromwires-griffin-favors-saving-shuttle.html
5. From the National Journal: The retirement of NASA’s shuttle has placed the nation’s aerospace industrial base at risk, according to Gregory Schulte, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for space policy. The concern is growing because the Pentagon is facing spending cuts as well, Schulte tells a gathering of reporters in Washington.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/pentagon-worries-about-space-industry-with-end-of-shuttle-program-20110719
A. From Reuters: Regular dialogue between the U. S. and China on space policy matters could help to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and clarify “rules of the road,” Schulte says in his remarks. Dialogue is especially important because China does not distinguish clearly between military and civilian space efforts, he explains.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/19/us-usa-china-space-idUSTRE76I6F320110719
B. From Space News: The United States deserves new investment in its human space flight program. The shuttle’s retirement is contributing to the nation’s unemployment problems and signals a lack of leadership, writes U. S. Rep. Lamar Smith, of Texas, in an op-ed. Smith serves on a NASA oversight panel.
http://www.spacenews.com/commentaries/110718-america-deserves-better-space-program.html
6. From USA Today: Interest in space shuttle era hardware and memorabilia grows as the program draws to a close after 30 years.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-07-20-space-shuttle-collectibles_n.htm
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