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Wednesday’s CSExtra features the latest reporting on space activities from around the world. Astronomers discover a huge hour glass shaped feature at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA technicians disassemble the vent line fixture believed to be responsible for the hydrogen leak that forced a scrub in shuttle Discovery’s Nov. 5 launch attempt. Experts investigate the source of a mysterious contrail spotted off the southern California coast. New speculation over leadership for the House Science and Technology Committee. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft to emerge from safe mode.
1. From the New York Times: Astronomers discover two globe-like features at the center of the Milky Way galaxy using NASA’s Fermi Gamma ray Space Telescope. These structures may have come from a black hole eruption at the center of the galaxy millions of years ago.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/science/space/10galaxy.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
2. From Spaceflightnow.com: Technicians began to disassemble the leaky launch pad vent fixture that forced a scrub of shuttle Discovery’s Nov. 5 launch. Today, they begin to look for an obvious cause of the “significant” hydrogen leak. Experts also begin to dissect a crack in the insulating foam on Discovery’s external tank. Repairs to each will drive the schedule for the next launch attempt, which is expected no earlier than Nov. 30. NASA releases a new list of launch opportunities extending through Dec. 6.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/101109update/
3. From Discovery.com: Tuesday was filled with Internet speculation over a mysterious contrail that was filmed off the coast of Southern California on Monday evening. Was it a rocket launch or perhaps just the trail left by a jet aircraft? The military was investigating.
http://news.discovery.com/space/mystery-rocket-launched-off-californian-coast.html
A. From MSNBC: The Department of Defense says it’s baffled by the video.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40087187/ns/us_news-security/
4. From Spacepolitics.com: The web site looks at who may provide leadership for the House Science and Technology Committee in the new Congress. Ralph Hall of Texas, James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Dana Rohrabacher of California are among those who could chair the panel with NASA oversight. http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/11/09/who-will-be-the-new-leadership-of-the-house-science-committee/
A. From the Dallas Morning News: U.S. Rep Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, expresses interest in becoming the committee’s ranking Democrat. Could a pair of Texans, Hall and Johnson, lead the panel?
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/11/hall-johnson-seek-to-lead-hous.html
5. From the Associated Press via the Washington Post: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is expected to resume normal mission operations around Saturn after lapsing into a safe mode last week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/09/AR2010110906428.html
6. From the Coalition for Space Exploration: NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, halfway along on its lengthy journey to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt begins a crucial 10-day communications period with eager ground control teams. Launched in January 2006, New Horizons is on course to reach its destination in July 2015. http://www.exploredeepspace.com/blog/pluto-bound-and-beyond-a-toast-to-new-horizons
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