In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA and Roscosmos address a small leak in a Russian Soyuz crew transport capsule docked to the International Space Station (ISS). The leak was patched and pressure in the Soyuz stabilized. Texas lawmakers push for the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to lead NASA’s efforts to return human explorers to the lunar surface. Global Martian dust storm continues to die down, as NASA awaits a call from the Opportunity rover.
Human Space Flight
Cosmonauts plug small leak on the International Space Station (ISS)
Spaceflightnow.com (8/30): A tiny breach surfaced in one of two Russian Soyuz/life boat capsules docked to the six person International Space Station (ISS). The leak, detected late Wednesday, was traced to the Soyuz capsule on Thursday. Working with Mission Control Moscow and Houston, cosmonauts Oleg Artemeyev and Sergey Prokopyev managed a makeshift internal plug of cloth and sealant. Whether the source of the 2 millimeter opening was caused by an external micrometeoroid/orbital debris strike or an internal issue was unclear. The pressure in the ISS Russian segment stabilized and more trouble shooting is anticipated on Friday.
Did a micrometeoroid poke a hole in the Space Station?
Space.com (8/30): While NASA experts did not point to a specific cause of the leak that surfaced late Wednesday in the orbital module volume of the Russian Soyuz capsule that carried three astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station in June, it could have been external or internal. The capsule is to transport three of the Space Station crew back to Earth in December.
Texas lawmakers press NASA to base lunar lander program in Houston
Ars Technica (8/29): Two Texas U.S. Senators and three Lone Star lawmakers from the U.S. House, each with a prominent positions with regard to NASA’s budget and direction, are urging NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to place the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston in charge of the agency’s lunar lander program. NASA is turning to commercial partners to develop lunar landers that could be gradually sized up from robotically delivering payloads to the lunar surface to descending with human crews. U.S. Rep. John Culbertson, who chairs the House panel responsible for NASA’s budget, is among those calling for action.
Ted Cruz warns against privatizing the International Space Station (ISS)
National Review (8/29): U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness, is an outspoken opponent of the White House plan to transition NASA away from direct funding of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2025 in favor of a commercial alternative. The decision could jeopardize U.S. space leadership and create a timely opening for Russia and China to surge ahead of the U.S. in human space exploration, says Cruz.
Space Science
Another Juno flyby, another amazing sequence of images of Jupiter
Space.com (8/30): NASA’s Juno mission spacecraft maneuvered into orbit around the giant planet in July 2016, and has been sweeping close to the colorful cloud tops every 53 days. New imagery attests to Jupiter’s beauty and suggests the cloud cover contains water.
Martian skies clearing over Opportunity rover
NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (8/30): NASA’s long lived Opportunity rover has been locked in by a major global Martian dust storm since late May and unable to communicate since June 10. The storm has started to abate, and NASA remains hopeful “Oppy” will once again be able to recharge its batteries and communicate with Earth. Opportunity landed in January 2004 for a mission that was to last just 90 days.
Other News
Lunar scientist and exploration advocate Paul Spudis passes away
SpaceNews.com (8/29): Paul Spudis, a well-known advocate for robotic and human lunar exploration, including the identification of potential resources on the Moon, has died. Spudis was on the staff of the Lunar and Planetary Institute, of Houston. He was 66.