Wednesday’s CSExtra finds organized Congressional support for sustaining NASA’s Constellation Program as well as support favoring changes in space policy proposed by President Obama. Also, a growing likelihood that the Administration’s 2011 budget request, which calls for Constellation’s termination, will not pass the House during the fiscal year. NASA prepares delays in the shuttle program’s final two flights — until late October and late February.
1. From Spacepolicyonline.com: A letter signed by 62 members of Congress is sent to President Obama urging him not to cancel NASA’s Constellation program. Lawmakers express concern the U.S. will lose its lead in human space flight. They urge a human mission beyond low Earth orbit within 10 years and a quick start to work on a new heavy lift rocket.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=990:text-of-letter-to-obama-from-62-members-of-congress&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
A. From Spacepolicyonline.com: Congress receives a letter supportive of President Obama’s space agenda. Signed by members of the aerospace industry, scientists and former astronauts, this letter supports commercial space transportation for astronauts and urges accelerated clearly defined human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=989:another-open-letter-to-congress-this-one-supportive-of-obama-plan&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
B. From Spacepolicyonline.com: The House leadership announces it does not expect to pass a 2011 budget resolution this year. That means spending limits once the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. The delay is attributed to work by a bi-partisan budget deficit commission that will not report it recommendations until Dec. 1.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=988:federal-budget-news&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
2. From Spaceflightnow.com: NASA shifts launching dates for the two remaining space shuttle missions. Discovery is moving from Sept. 16 to Oct. 29, and Endeavour from late November to Feb. 28. Shuttle managers will review the proposed changes on July 1.The delays accommodate work under way on the payloads, an equipment storage compartment called Leonardo and an observatory called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. Both are headed for the International Space Station.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/100622dates/
3. From the Huntsville Times: Alabama Gov. Bob Riley warns the state’s rocket legacy is in jeopardy as NASA dismantles the Constellation Program.
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/06/gov_riley_wants_huntsvilles_na.html
A. From the Orlando Sentinel: U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican, wins a “porker of the month” citation from the Citizens Against Government Waste. Shelby has co-signed an amendment that would force NASA to spend on the Constellation Program, though the lunar initiative is facing cancellation.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/
4. From the Washington Post: Arctic sea ice is declining, perhaps at a record rate.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/06/arctic_sea_ice_melting_unusual.html
5. From Universe Today: Israel launches a spy satellite. Iran’s nuclear program is a likely target for observation.
http://www.universetoday.com/
6. From Discovery.com: The aurora australis as seen and photographed from the International Space Station.
http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-space-station-aurora-australis.html
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