In Today’s Deep Space Extra… President Obama presents his 2017 budget, including the latest plans for NASA’s Journey to Mars and other space initiatives, to Congress today.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Filling in the details
The Space Review (2/8): On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama presents the final budget of his administration to Congress. And not far from Washington, New Hampshire voters will participate in a key presidential primary. Both outcomes could be critical factors in determining the future of U.S. space policy, and Obama administrative ambitions to reach Mars with human explorers in the 2030s, while fostering the near term development of commercial transportation services for astronauts assigned to live aboard the International Space Station.
Preserving our space heritage
The Space Review (2/8): Essayist Anthony French raises the question: Is the push to advance space exploration and advances in commerce overlooking the merits of preserving the symbols of early human and planetary science missions. French is a member of the British Interplanetary Society.
Space Science
Exclusive first look at assembly of Mars 2020 spacecraft
CBS News (2/8): CBS offers a firsthand look at the clean room assembly of Mars 2020, the next NASA rover in development for a landing on the red planet early in the next decade. One of the rover’s objectives is the gathering of Mars rock and soil samples for an eventual return to Earth and scrutiny by scientists.
Take a virtual tour of Mars with this new 360-degree image from NASA
The Verge (2/8): NASA finds YouTube the format to offer 360 degree views of Mars as gathered by the Curiosity rover. Curiosity is currently exploring a region of sand dunes in Gale Crater on the red planet.
More gravitational wave rumors: Colliding black holes?
Discovery News (2/8): The National Space Foundation plans to elaborate Thursday with a news briefing. Speculation, however, suggests an announcement involving gravitational waves, or warping’s of space time, whose existence was first theorized by Albert Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity early in the last century. The discovery seems to have come from a black hole merger.
Low Earth Orbit
Death by meteorite? India tragedy may be 1st in recorded history
Space.com (2/8): A bus driver in India, injured Saturday, may be the first human in a century to become a casualty of a meteor impact. Perhaps three others were injured in the impact incident in India’s Tamil Nadu state.
North Korea satellite ‘tumbling in orbit,’ U.S. official says
CNN (2/8): The satellite launched by North Korea on Sunday is tumbling as it orbits, according to a senior U.S. Defense official. The launch raised concerns in South Korea, Japan, the U.S. and elsewhere that North Korea is developing ballistic missile capabilities to go with advances in nuclear weaponry. The U.S. Security Council has condemned North Korea’s actions.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
30-plus rocket launches planned this year for Florida’s Space Coast
Orlando Business Journal (2/8): More than 30 spacecraft launches are anticipated from Florida’s space coast this year, according to Space Florida, the space development organization. Officials say the rise in post space shuttle era launch activity is due to commercial demands for communications satellites, Earth imaging spacecraft and re-supply missions to the six person International Space Station.