In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test-2 is rescheduled for Tuesday at 1:20 pm EDT, with a docking at the International Space Station on Wednesday. Ariane 5 launches two satellites in important lead up to the JWST liftoff.
Human Space Exploration
Starliner resets for next launch attempt after ISS problems
Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, United Launch Alliance
SpaceNews.com (8/1): The launch of Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2), an uncrewed test flight of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station (ISS) as a milestone toward NASA certification for the regularly scheduled transportation of astronauts to and from the orbital lab, is set for Tuesday at 1:20p.m. EDT. Plans to launch on Friday were postponed in response to the disruptive docking of Russia’s Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module at the ISS.
GAO denies HLS protests by Blue Origin and Dynetics
Coalition Members in the News – Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Spacepolicyonline.com (7/30): A ruling by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) on Friday endorsed NASA’s decision in April to contract with SpaceX for development of the commercial Human Lander System (HLS) required to support NASA’s Artemis III mission to return humans to the Moon. NASA’s selection in April prompted protests from teams led by Blue Origin and Dynetics. NASA does anticipate additional HLS systems built by other companies through the Lunar Exploration Transportation Services (LETS) initiative to certify commercial providers for the missions to follow.
Nelson remains hopeful Congress will provide additional lunar lander funding
Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
SpaceNews.com (7/30): NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has expressed confidence that Congress will provide the funding necessary to develop a second commercial lunar Human Landing System (HLS) for the Artemis III mission, despite selecting only one company in April. Nelson declined to comment on Blue Origin’s proposal to lower its costs to enable a contract, which the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos outlined in a July 26 open letter to Nelson.
Russia blames software error for Nauka misfire
Coalition Member in the News – Boeing
Spacepolicyonline.com (7/31): Russia on Friday blamed a software error for the unanticipated thruster firings from the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module that followed its automated docking with the International Space Station (ISS) early Thursday. The firings prompted a loss of attitude control for the ISS and its seven member U.S., European, Japanese and Russian crew.
Space Science
Ariane 5 lofts two satellites in important lead-up to James Webb launch
Coalition Members in the News – Airbus, Maxar, Northrop Grumman, Ruag
NASAspaceflight.com (7/30): The first launch of an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana in nearly a year on Friday evening represented good news for plans by NASA to launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) this fall. As part of a JWST mission partnership between the Canadian and European space agencies and NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) will provide an Ariane 5 launch. Concerns with the performance of the Ariane 5 payload fairing during launches in February and August of 2020 raised fear for the JWST mission plan. One more successful launch of the Ariane 5 is desired before the launch of JWST, which has been long in development to study the earliest star and galaxy formation as well assess the atmospheres of exoplanets.
Other News
Senate confirms NASA CFO
SpaceNews.com (7/31): On Friday, the U.S. Senate confirmed the White House nomination of Margaret Vo Schaus as NASA Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Previously, she served as the director of business operations in the Office of the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense (DoD).
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of August 1-7, 2021
Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Maxar
Spacepolicyonline.com (8/1): Major events this week include the planned launch of the NASA/Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission that will send an uncrewed Starliner into Earth orbit, on to an automated docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and a parachute descent to Earth, activities that along with associated news briefings will be aired on NASA TV and streamed at www.nasa.gov/nasalive. Launch is planned for Tuesday at 1:20p.m. EDT, with a docking anticipated for Wednesday at 1:37p.m. Weather could be a launch factor. Also, the ISS National Lab and NASA are hosting the virtual, three-day 10th International Space Station Research & Development Conference beginning Tuesday. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is among those participating in the opening ceremony. As the week opens, the U.S. Senate remains in session to work on an infrastructure bill, which could include funding for a second NASA-sponsored commercial lunar Human Landing System (HLS) and funding to upgrade agency infrastructure. The House has left Washington for August. Though it made progress on a 2022 federal budget, the House has not acted on the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations measure that includes NASA and NOAA. Action will await the House’s return in September. Also, on Monday NASA will brief on the science payloads that are headed to the ISS aboard Northrop Grumman’s 16th cargo mission due to launch August 10. Monday’s briefing, scheduled for 1p.m. EDT, will be aired on NASA TV and streamed on www.nasa.gov/nasalive.