In Today’s Deep Space Extra… In transition, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center includes deep space in multi-mission launch focus.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Human missions in sight as Kennedy Space Center transitions
Orlando Sentinel (4/25): NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, once focused on supporting the launch and landings of the Space Shuttle, has transitioned to host commercial as well as civil space operations and will soon support launches of NASA’s Space Launch System on missions of human deep space exploration.
China eyes international `Moon Village’
Global Times, of China (4/25): China is pondering participation in the European Space Agency’s proposed moon village, an international/commercial settlement on the moon. Construction would begin in the 2020s. However, one Peking University scientist believes his native country should follow its own course in the exploration of space, one that is focused on deep space exploration and that will establish China as a space power by 2030.
Make Mars Livable with Asteroids: Researchers Propose Terraforming Plan
Space.com (4/25): A region of Mars could be made more Earth-like with a carefully targeted asteroid strike that would warm the subsurface to establish a lake with melt water that would last thousands of years, according to researchers behind the Mars Terraformer Transfer concept.
Space Science
Latch blamed for JWST vibration test anomaly
Space News (4/25): Engineers conclude that a partially secured latch led to a worrisome outcome during vibration testing of the James Webb Space Telescope in December at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. JWST, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, remains on track for a launch in late 2018, with almost five months of schedule reserve. However, there is more crucial pre-launch testing to come, including a thermal vacuum assessment at NASA’s Johnson Space Center whose start has been moved from March to May.
Mars Trojans may be part of a planet that was destroyed long ago
New Scientist (4/25): Trojans are asteroids that accompany a planetary body as it orbits the sun. Mars has nine discovered so far, trailing the planet, and Jupiter has hundreds of the objects. Trojans, say scientists, may be fragments left over from the formation of the two planets or they may be pieces of Mars cleaved away when the planet was young.
Eighth time lucky: NASA launches super balloon to collect near-space data
Reuters (4/26): Earlier this week, NASA launched a high altitude balloon mission from New Zealand to detect and study the origin of high energy particles from deep in the universe that collide with the Earth’s atmosphere at high altitude. The balloon is expected to circle the Earth two to three times with its science sensors.
That Ghostly, Glowing Light Above Canada? It’s Just Steve
New York Times (4/25): In Canada, Steve, a fast moving strip of ionized gas moving through the Earth’s atmosphere, is drawing an audience spurred by a curiosity arising from comments on social media.
Low Earth Orbit/Commercial to Orbit
Despite delays, Boeing’s Starliner moving steadily toward the launch pad
Ars Technica (4/25): One of two U.S. aerospace contractors partnered with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Boeing is moving closer to a goal of re-establishing a U.S. human space launch capability with the CST-100 Starliner. Starliner and SpaceX’s crewed Dragon are to provide commercial transportation to and from the International Space Station as soon as late 2018. The NASA initiative has been challenged by budgetary and technical challenges.
Operations resume at European-run launch base in French Guiana
Spaceflightnow.com (4/25): Space operations resumed this week at the European launch complex in French Guiana, following weeks of disruption over wages and social protests. France committed $1.2 billion in aid to the region to settle grievances over public safety, education and transportation. An Ariane 5 launch is planned for May 4.