In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Robots possible partners in human deep space exploration. Legal expert questions limits of new space property rights legislation.

Human Deep Space Exploration

NASA counting on humanoid robots for deep space exploration
Spaceflight Insider (1/26): Machines that resemble the human form could become valuable assistants to astronauts preparing to work in and actually exploring hostile environments on asteroids and Mars, according to NASA researchers. Two R5 humanoid prototypes assembled by NASA are undergoing evaluation for the work at MIT and Northeastern University. R5’s successors could be an essential part of dangerous activities like setting up facilities on planetary surfaces and acting as caretakers.

The unfortunate provincialism of the space resources act
The Space Review (1/25): Essayist Thomas Simmons questions the wisdom on new U.S. commercial space legislation that grants rights to resources found on planetary objects to U.S. citizens. The legislation should also have endorsed support for those rights to citizens of other nations, according to Simmons, assistant professor at the University of South Dakota school of law.

Space Science

12 years on Mars: Opportunity’s top 5 revelations
Discovery.com (1/25): NASA’s Opportunity rover marked its 12th anniversary on Mars earlier this week. In addition to finding evidence of a past watery environment with habitable conditions, the rover is contributing an understanding of the planet’s overall geological history and gathering ground level atmospheric profiles. The golf cart sized rover itself has helped to prepare for human missions with its solar array performance, motion through loose soil and the robustness of cold weather lubricants.

LISA Pathfinder on station a million miles from Earth
Spaceflightnow.com (1/25): Launched on Dec. 3 from French Guiana, the European Space Agency’s LISA Pathfinder mission spacecraft has reached its destination at the L-1 sun-Earth LaGrange point about one million miles from Earth, where it will demonstrate its ability to detect gravity waves.

Future telescopes versus telescopes’ futures

The Space Review (1/25): Whether it’s technology or politics, the drive to equip astronomers with ever better space observatories and ground based telescopes face obstacles, writes TSR editor Jeff Foust.

NASA Glenn re-enacts groundbreaking 75 years later (photos)
Cleveland Plain Dealer (1/25): The Ohio based NASA research facility marked its 75th anniversary on Monday with a re-enactment of the original ground breaking. “God speed and happy anniversary,” said Mercury astronaut John Glenn, the facility’s namesake and a former U.S. senator.

Low Earth Orbit

‘Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes’ recounts space shuttle tragedy 30 years later
Collectspace.com (1/25): A new National Geographic documentary, Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, recalls the loss of the shuttle Challenger and a seven member crew 30 years ago on Thursday, which also marks NASA’s annual Day of Remembrance. The commemorative production includes remarks at the shuttle’s Kennedy Space Center launch site from Vice President George Bush and Mercury astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn in the hours after the tragedy.

I could have died on the Challenger
New York Post (1/25): One time Idaho elementary school teacher Barbara Morgan, who was the back up to NASA Teacher in Space Christa McAuliffe, of New Hampshire, recalls the shuttle Challenger disaster, which unfolded 30 years ago Thursday. Morgan would eventually fulfill her backup role, launching on the shuttle Endeavour in 2007 and after fulfilling a full course of training as a NASA mission specialist astronaut. Thursday also marks NASA’s annual Day of Remembrance.

Russia comes first by space garbage volume, third by satellite grouping report
TASS, or Russia (1/25): Russia is Earth orbit’s biggest polluter, according to Roscomos, the Russian federal space corporation. The U.S. owns the most satellites, 542, in Earth orbit followed by China and Russia.

Commercial to Low Earth Orbit

Falcon 9 upgrade gets Air Force OK to launch military satellites 
Space News (1/25): SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 has been certified by the U.S. Air Force to compete for the launching of national security payloads, according to an announcement from the U.S. Air Force on Monday.

Suborbital

Blue Origin to ramp up New Shepard tests
Space News (1/25): Blue Origin will pursue additional flight tests of its New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle. Dozens more are planned before Blue Origin plans to board passengers, according to company president Rob Meyerson. The current test vehicle completed its second vertical landing within two months on Jan. 22, with every indication of normal performance, according to the report.