Deep Space Extra

Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter the week of May 20, 2024:

Human Space Exploration:

• Initial Gateway elements beginning systems integration while NASA works on a launch date
  Coalition Member in the News – Aerojet Rocketdyne, Northrop Grumman;
• NASA defends Artemis cost and schedule amid planning of possible changes;
• NASA, Boeing and ULA announce June 1 as new target date for Starliner’s Crew Flight Test
  Coalition Member in the News – Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing;
• How Artemis astronauts will be protected from solar storms
  Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin;
• NASA orders yet another delay for Boeing’s hard-luck Starliner
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing;
• Blue Origin returns crew flights to New Shepard with NS-25 mission;
• ‘That’s part of space exploration’: Artemis II astronauts unfazed by Moon mission delays
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing;
• NASA astronauts practice ‘Moonwalking’ in the Arizona desert (photos); 

Space Science

• The Euclid ‘dark universe detective’ telescope has revealed new images of the cosmos and they are remarkable;
• NASA space telescope finds Earth-sized exoplanet that’s ‘not a bad place’ to hunt for life;
• Things are finally looking up for the Voyager 1 interstellar spacecraft;
• Safety first: NASA pledges to use AI carefully and responsibly;
• How does spaceflight lead to medical breakthroughs? Veteran astronaut explains;
• Perseverance rover’s Mars rock sample may contain best evidence of possible ancient life;
• Nova explosion visible to the naked eye expected any day now;
• A comet approaching Earth could become brighter than the stars this fall;
• Private mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope raises concerns, NASA emails show;
• NASA prepares for twin launches of climate science cubesats;

Other News

• Beijing invites other countries to join Chinese-Russian lunar station project;
• U.S. seeks bids from satellite manufacturers for military Space Test Program;
• A review of the President’s fiscal year 2025 budget request for NASA and the National Science Foundation;
• NASA report identifies cost-effective approaches to dealing with orbital debris;
• Surviving reentry is the key goal for SpaceX’s fourth Starship test flight;
• U.S. claims recently launched Russian satellite is an ASAT;
• Ariane 6 inaugural launch planned for first half of July;
• NASA-funded pulsed plasma rocket concept aims to send astronauts to Mars in 2 months;

Major Space Related Activities for the Week

• After delays addressing oxygen propellant value and helium leak concerns, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test launch is planned for Saturday at 3:09 p.m. EDT. Coincidentally, the date marks the 63rd anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s address to Congress initiating the Apollo Moon program. NASA will provide live coverage of the Starliner launch beginning at 11 a.m. EDT on NASA TV and streaming over www.nasa.gov/nasalive.
• NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will testify on NASA’s 2025 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
• . The House Armed Services Committee markup of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act is scheduled to begin on Wednesday at 10 a.m. EDT.

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