Today’s Deep Space Extra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from across the globe. NASA’s Space Launch System exploration rocket and Orion crew exploration capsule programs have assumed budget increases not yet approved, according to a top agency executive. The Russian Institute of Biomedical Problems has concluded an all-woman lunar mission simulation involving a half dozen participants. NASA’s Maven mission at Mars reveals reasons behind the red planet’s long-term climate change, say scientists. A solar eruption earlier this week could give the Earth a glancing blow on Saturday, spawning geomagnetic storms and bright auroral displays. The Science Channel sets Nov. 10 for the debut of a TV series featuring human spaceflight risks. NASA pushes a decision on future International Space Station re-supply contract awards to no later than late January. The U.S. House advances contentious legislation to re-authorize the U.S. Export-Import Bank, a mechanism for assisting the sale of aerospace products and services in foreign markets.
Human Deep Space Exploration
NASA counting on budget increase for SLS and Orion
Space News (11/5): NASA’s current spending on the development of the Space Launch System exploration rocket and the Orion crew exploration capsule assumes a U.S. federal budget increase next month, according to the report. Bill Hill, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development, informed the NASA Advisory Council’s human exploration and operations committee of the pending spending mismatch during a Nov. 4 meeting. The U.S. federal government is functioning under a 2015 budget Continuing Resolution effective through Dec. 11.
Six women on simulated flight to Moon ‘land’ successfully
TASS, of Russia (11/6): Six women completed a ground based, moon mission simulation sponsored by the Russian Institute of Biomedical Problems on Friday. During the nine day exercise, 30 experiments, repairs to a lunar rover and the collection of lunar soil samples were carried out by the participants.
Unmanned Deep Space Exploration
Mars lost atmosphere to space as life took hold on Earth
Space.com (11/5): Conditions on Mars favorable for the rise of biological activity disappeared about the time microbial activity was arising on the Earth, according to new research carried out with NASA’s Mars orbiting MAVEN spacecraft. Maven reached Mars orbit last September to evaluate changes in the Martian atmosphere.
The sun will blast Mars’ entire atmosphere into space
Discovery.com (11/5): NASA’s Maven mission, which entered orbit around the red planet last September, has found evidence that the solar wind gradually eroded the Martian atmosphere, one that once supported a much wetter and warmer environment than current conditions. The Earth’s magnetic field, long absent on Mars, has helped to prevent a similar change on the Earth.
Solar storms strip air from Mars, NASA says
New York Times (11/5): Research from NASA’s latest Mars mission, MAVEN, may at last solve the mystery over changes in the Martian atmosphere that altered the global climate from warm and wet to cold and dry. A diminished magnetic field allowed the solar wind to strip away the Martian atmosphere. At times the wind amounted to a solar storm. Long ago, Mars hosted rivers and lakes.
Incoming CME
Spaceweather.com (11/5): A solar eruption Wednesday produced a Coronal Mass Ejection that may deliver a glancing blow to the Earth on Saturday. Geomagnetic storms and bright auroral displays are possible.
Low Earth Orbit
Astronauts reveal close calls in new series ‘Secret Space Escapes’
Toronto Star (11/5): A new Science Channel series, Secret Space Escapes, debuts Nov. 10 with the story of the fire that erupted aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station in 1997 with NASA astronaut Jerry Linenger aboard. “Whenever you’re operating on the edge of human ability, you’re going to have close calls,” Linenger said. “We’ve had quite a few. But because we usually come out of them successfully people say that it’s fine when it’s actually quite hairy.”
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
NASA again delays award of CRS2 commercial cargo contracts
Spacepolicyonline.com (11/5): NASA moved the agency’s decision on a second round of contracts for the re-supply of the International Space Station, expected on Nov. 5, to no later than Jan. 30, 2016. NASA’s current contractors are Orbital ATK and SpaceX. Both companies are in the process of recovering from cargo mission failures on Oct. 28, 2014 and June 28, 2015 respectively.
Export-Import bank survives more House votes
Spacepolicyonline.com (111/5): Efforts in the U.S. House to restrict provisions in the re-authorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank were defeated late Nov. 4. The legislation now goes to the U.S. Senate for concurrence or compromise. The bank provides a mechanism for the sale of U.S. products and services, including those of the aerospace industry, to foreign customers. The bank’s authorization lapsed June 30. The Export-Import Bank was established in 1934.