Today’s Deep Space Extra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. Without Europe at its side, Russia plans to forego lunar, Mars missions. China’s space ambitions include a 2018 space probe landing on the unexplored far side of the moon. Astronomers say they are puzzled by the brightest supernova ever. The European Space Agency signals intentions to extend International Space Station operations. Britain’s Tim Peake will join NASA’s Tim Kopra for a spacewalk on Friday to replace a solar electrical system voltage regulator outside the International Space Station. Russia plans seven missions to the International Space Station in 2016, four to transport astronauts and cosmonauts. On Thursday, NASA selected Orbital ATK, newcomer Sierra Nevada and SpaceX for a potential $14 billion in resupply missions to the International Space Station between late 2019 and 2024. Virgin Galactic debuts new flight garb.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Russia to give up Moon, Mars missions without support from Europe
TASS, of Russia (1/14): Faced with spending cuts, Russia’s corporate space agency announced it will drop plans for lunar and Mars mission spacecraft unless it can partner with the European Space Agency.
China to land probe on dark side of moon in 2018
Xinhuanet (1/14): China will aim for the unexplored far side of the moon with its Chang’e-4 robotic probe.
Record-busting star explosion baffles sky watchers
National Public Radio (1/14): Astronomers have their eyes on an unexplainable bright stellar blast 3.8 billion light years away but not visible from the Earth. Calculated to be 570 billion times brighter than the sun, this stellar object is also 200 times brighter than the standard supernova. Early observations were described in the journal Science.
Low Earth Orbit
ESA to seek ISS funding to 2020, political promise to 2024
Aviation Week & Space Technology (1/14): The European Space Agency has signaled its intent to join NASA, Russia, Japan and Canada in funding an extension of International Space Station activities from 2020 to 2024. President Obama called for the extension in early 2014.
Astronauts set for Friday spacewalk to fix power glitch
Spaceflightnow.com/CBS News (1/14): British born astronaut Tim Peake and NASA’s Tim Kopra prepared for a 6 1/2 hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station early Friday. The two men are prepared to replace a faulty voltage regulator and extend utility cables to the sites of two future docking ports for U.S. commercial spacecraft developed to transport astronauts to and from the orbital outpost. The spacewalk start was scheduled shortly before 8 a.m., EST. Live updates.
Russia to launch 4 manned, 3 cargo spacecraft to ISS in 2016
Sputnik News, of Russia (1/14): Russia’s space corporation announces plans to launch astronauts to the International Space Station four times in 2016 and three resupply missions.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Orbital, Sierra Nevada, SpaceX win NASA commercial cargo contracts
Space News (1/14): NASA on Thursday awarded a second round of resupply services contacts for the International Space Station to newcomer Sierra Nevada and incumbents Orbital ATK and SpaceX. The agreements, capped at $14 billion in total, will cover at least 18 supply missions, or six for each of the companies, between late 2019 and 2024. NASA plans four resupply missions annually and believes the total cost will be less than the cap.
Sierra Nevada Corp. joins SpaceX and Orbital ATK in winning NASA resupply contracts
Washington Post (1/14): As a new participant in NASA contracted space station resupply missions, Sierra Nevada will introduce a winged lifting body, the Dream Chaser, which can return experiments from the orbiting science laboratory to a runway close to a NASA installation.
Suborbital
Virgin Galactic unveils new high-fashion flight suits
The Verge (1/14): The suborbital passenger spaceflight company unveils new flight garb.