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Wednesday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space-related activities. In Florida, shuttle Endeavour touches down at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the pre-dawn, ending a successful 16-day mission. At the same time, NASA rolls Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A, where it will under go preparations for the final shuttle mission. Editorial praise for the International Space Station. Plus, a second look at an illuminating 1963 discussion between President John F. Kennedy and then NASA Administrator James Webb on the future of the Apollo moon program. A bold proposal using a Russian spacecraft to swing wealthy tourists around the moon could influence U. S. space plans. Editorial concerns that the shuttle’s retirement could provide an opening for China to surge ahead in space exploration.
1. From Space.com: Endeavour lands at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the pre-dawn Wednesday, ending a successful 16-day mission to the International Space Station.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/11839-space-shuttle-endeavour-sts134-final-landing.html
A. From Florida Today: Atlantis rolls to Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy, setting the stage for a July 8 launching on the final shuttle program mission. Atlantis will deliver supplies to the International Space Station over a 12-day flight and retrieve the thermal control system pump package that failed last summer.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110601/NEWS02/106010335/Atlantis-rollout-last-legacy?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
B. From Collectspace.com: We know about Endeavour’s high visibility payloads. What about of the small trinkets and memorabilia that each of the shuttle astronauts carried along as well? Much of the personal cargo is small flags, pennants and pins taken as favors for others.
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-053111a.html
C. From Space.com: Endeavour commander Mark Kelly will be eager to re-unite with his wife, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords remained in Houston, where she is recovering from a January gunshot would at the Texas Medical Center.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/11834-giffords-shuttle-astronaut-kelly-wife-endeavour.html
2. From the Orlando Sentinel: In an editorial, the newspaper praises the International Space Station and observes the outpost represents a “landmark achievement whose best days are ahead.”
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-space-station-completion-06011120110531,0,7718113.story
3. From Tuesday’s editions of The Space Review:
A. In “Analyzing the new Kennedy Tape,” space historian John Logsdon examines last week’s release of the recording of a September 1963 meeting between President John F. Kennedy and NASA Administrator James Webb. The discussion goes to the heart of Kennedy’s enthusiasm for the Apollo Program. Kennedy expresses concern for the expense and public support of going it alone. JFK raises the prospect of working with the Soviets to reach the moon. Logsdon adds new context that suggests the former President’s actions indicated strong support for the U. S. moon program up until his death two months later.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1856/1
B. In “Bad Moon Rising,” contributor Stuart Money examines the collaboration between Space Adventures and the Russians to swing wealthy tourists around the moon in a venerable Soyuz spacecraft. Could the initiative spur U. S. commercial competitors like SpaceX but undermine U. S. efforts to develop a successor to the space shuttle for NASA sponsored missions of deep space exploration?
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1855/1
4. From Spacepolitics.com: At look at XCOR president Jeff Greason’s recent speech before the International Space Development Conference on exploration strategies, or the lack of one. What’s missing? Perhaps, the prospects of expanding the human sphere using the resources available in space.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/05/31/strategies-for-space-settlement-and-nasas-survival/
5. From the Washington Times: In an editorial, the Washington newspaper raises the prospect for a surge by China in the exploration of space, as NASA’s shuttle program retires.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/31/exploring-frontiers-of-science/
6. From Nature News: The Jovian moon Enceladus is emerging as the spot in the solar system most likely to harbor life like we know it, according to SETI scientists.
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110531/full/news.2011.337.html
7. From Discovery News: Astronomers unveil a new map of the cosmic neighborhood at a Boston conference. The 3-D map includes 45,000 star systems.
http://news.discovery.com/space/universe-map-galaxies-3d-110531.html
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