In Today’s Deep Space Extra… U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly paves way for future human deep space exploration with 340 day mission.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Scott Kelly’s giant leap for mankind: James Lovell
USA Today (2/29): U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly is scheduled to return to Earth late Tuesday after 340 days in orbit aboard the International Space Station. Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko undertook the difficult mission together to reveal physical and psychological challenges facing human explorers on future deep space missions, including those to Mars. “Scott has made an incredible sacrifice for our country as he has lived cut off from his family and friends and risked his life in the name of space medical science. He is building a foundation for the next chapter of American space flight. And Scott deserves our thanks,” writes James Lovell, who as commander of Apollo 13 became the first human to journey to the moon twice. A Russian spacecraft carrying Kelly, Kornienko and cosmonaut Sergey Volkov is to land in remote Kazakhstan at 11:25 p.m. EST.
Seeking consistency in inconsistent times
The Space Review (2/29): The change in U.S. presidential administrations following the November elections has many in the space community anxious over possible costly delays in advancing the human exploration of deep space. The presidential candidates are not saying much. Some in Congress are backing the Space Preservation Leadership Act that would establish a bi-partisan board of directors to hire a long term NASA administrator and circumvent the White House Office of Management and Budget in submitting annual space spending plans to Congress.
Staying course on the Journey to Mars
The Space Review (2/29): Louis Friedman, the original executive director of the Planetary Society, finds the next U.S. president faced with three choices with regard to human space exploration, shut it down, add the moon as a destination on the way to Mars, or continue to pursue the current course with an asteroid mission as a precursor to Mars as a destination in the 2030s. Staying the course is in the best interests of the United States, while being cost and schedule compatible, he writes in an essay and in a letter presented to the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
Buzz Aldrin calls for human colony on Mars
CBS News (2/29): Speaking at the Science Museum of London, Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin called for a human settlement on Mars, predicting the goal could be achieved by 2040. “…is there anything bigger that humans could do on Earth than to leave and begin to occupy?” asked Aldrin.
Jody Singer named Marshall Space Flight Center deputy director
Huntsville Times (2/29): A thirty year NASA executive, Singer will help to manage the NASA field center responsible for the development of the agency’s Space Launch System exploration rocket. The first unpiloted test flight of the SLS and NASA Orion crew capsule is planned for late 2018. The SLS is intended to start U.S. astronauts on future missions of deep space exploration.
Space Science
‘Mountaineer’ Opportunity climbs tough Mars terrain
Discovery.com (2/29): NASA’s Opportunity rover, at home on the Martian surface since 2004, is tackling its toughest slopes yet in a bid to reach and test terrain that appears to have been exposed to water billions of years ago.
ET search: Look for the aliens looking for Earth
Nature (2/29): German scientists propose a strategy to narrow the search for intelligent extra-terrestrial life by listening to signals from stars with planets that can see the Earth as it crosses in front of the sun, causing the sun to dim slightly. NASA’s Kepler space telescope uses the same “transit” technique to search for exo-planets in the Milky Way. Signs of life should be evident as bio signatures in the Earth’s atmosphere. About 10,000 stars within 3,500 light years of the Earth should be able to observe the Earth’s transits of the sun, reasons René Heller, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Göttingen, Germany.
X-Prize planning for next space competition
Space News (2/29): With the current competition for a $20 million prize for activities on the moon scheduled to expire at the end of 2017, the X-Prize Foundation is looking ahead to its next prize. The current Global Lunar X-Prize competition features a $20 million prize for award to the first non-government team that places a robotic spacecraft on the moon that can move 500 meters over the surface and transmit high definition video back to Earth.
Low Earth Orbit
After a record-breaking year in space, astronaut Scott Kelly is coming home
Washington Post (2/29): NASA space marathoner Scott Kelly says that after 340 days in space he could go another 100 days, another year– if necessary, before returning to Earth. However, Kelly and his Russian colleague Mikhail Kornienko are eager to leave their home on the International Space Station. Kelly’s looks forward to re-experiencing gravity, the feel of the sun, wind and rain, even a dip in the home swimming pool. Kelly, Kornienko and cosmonaut Sergey Volkov are to board their Soyuz spacecraft and undock from the space station at 8:02 p.m., EST. Their landing in remote Kazakhstan is planned for 11:25 p.m., EST.
Video: Change of command aboard International Space Station
Spaceflightnow.com (2/29): Late tonight, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian colleague Mikhail Kornienko are to descend to a landing in Kazakhstan after 340 days aboard the International Space Station, the longest spaceflight ever for a U.S. space explorer. Late Monday, Kelly, commander of the Space Station since September, participated in a change of command ceremony. NASA’s Tim Kopra will become the station’s skipper as Kelly and Kornienko depart the six person orbiting science laboratory with Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Aerojet Rocketdyne, ULA win Air Force propulsion contracts
Space News (2/29): The U.S. Department of Defense announced Monday that it will invest up to $536 million with Aerojet Rocketdyne for the AR1 rocket engine and as much as $202 million with United Launch Alliance for the Vulcan rocket with a Blue Origin rocket engine as domestic alternatives to imports of Russia’s RD-180 rocket engine. The RD-180 currently provides first stage propulsion for ULA’s Atlas V launch vehicle for placing national security payloads in Earth orbit among other missions. New development is planned by 2019.
Suborbital
Spaceport bill passes Georgia House of Representatives
Atlanta Business Chronicle (2/29): The Georgia House has passed legislation restricting liability for proposed spaceport operations in southeastern Georgia. The measure now moves to Georgia’s Senate for consideration. Other states with spaceports have passed similar legislation, including Florida and Texas.