In Today’s Deep Space Extra… U.S. human deep space exploration ambitions faced with challenges from erratic funding and sometimes chaotic Congressional budgeting processes.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Déjà vu all over again: NASA and the question of risk
The Space Review (3/7): In January, the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel issued its annual report, expressing special concern over the prospect that budgeting and policy changes associated with U.S. economic turmoil and legislative budgeting vagaries could introduce risk to the agency’s human exploration aspirations. The agency is at a crucial point as it develops the Space Launch System exploration rocket and Orion crew capsule for future human deep space missions, whether they are destined for Mars, an asteroid or back to the moon, writes essayist Roger Handberg, a political scientist at University of Central Florida.
NASA deputy Dava Newman inspires hometown Helena students
KRTV.com, of Montana (3/7): NASA’s Deputy Administrator Dava Newman, an MIT-educated aeronautical engineer, visited her former high school in her hometown of Helena, Mont., to explain the space agency’s plans to reach Mars with human explorers.
Space Science
Implementing a space weather strategy
The Space Review (3/7): Looking back to 1859, scientists have been able to discern that the Earth survived a major solar weather event, one that lit up the night skies with aurora at low latitudes and disrupted telegraph transmissions. Something similar to the “Carrington event” transpired in 2012 close to the Earth. Experts now believe, as a consequence, the planet faces a 10 percent chance of a repeat over the next decade. The consequences could be disastrous for the modern day power grid, as well as satellite navigation and communications. Essayist Jeff Foust notes that some are beginning to address the concern on a global scale.
The world is about to get treated to a total solar eclipse
Inverse (3/7): The Earth’s moon will block the face of the sun Wednesday in Southeast Asia. NASA TV will provide a broadcast of the total solar eclipse starting on Tuesday at 8 p.m., EST, 38 minutes before the sun is fully covered. Observers in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa will witness a partial solar eclipse.
Mystery mountain pops up in striking Ceres photo
Discovery.com (3/7): NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, circling the large asteroid Ceres since March 2015, has spotted another strange surface feature, a dome with shiny, white slopes that rises three miles high. Scientists ponder whether the dome might be related to Occator Crater, another surface feature with mysterious white patches.
Mercury’s carbon-rich crust is surprisingly ancient
Discovery (3/7): A legacy of NASA’s Messenger mission to Mercury includes evidence of a carbon crust, with origins in an ancient super-heated magma ocean that cooled. The findings are outlined in detail in the journal Nature Geoscience.
The March of planets: Jupiter, Mars and Saturn brighten night sky
Space.com (3/7): Bright Jupiter shines brightly for much of the night this month. Mars grows brighter and joins Saturn in the pre-dawn skies with the moon at the end of the month.
Low Earth Orbit
Engineers lose control of U.S. military weather satellite
Spaceflightnow.com (3/7): The U.S. Air Force announces it is no longer able to exercise ground control over its newest weather satellite. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 19 spacecraft was launched into a polar orbit on April 3, 2014. Ground control of the spacecraft was lost Feb. 3. Efforts to re-establish contact continue, the Air Force said in March 3 statement.
Russian rocket engines and China’s ICBM force
The Hill (3/7): U.S. lawmakers wrestle with purchases of Russian RD-180 rocket engines for launches of national security missions, while funding efforts to develop a domestic replacement. While adding reliability to U.S. launches, the rocket engine purchases reward Russia while Moscow exercises belligerent behavior toward its neighbors. China, which poses an anti-satellite threat to the U.S., is interested in Russian space technology, including the RD-180 for ballistic missile development and other space initiatives of its own.
Air Force budgets $20 million to begin common ground system work
Space News (3/7): The proposed Enterprise Ground Services would establish a common network concept for the Pentagon’s missile-warning, protected communication, weather and GPS satellites. The more effective approach would permit airmen to devote more of their efforts toward space protection measures than routine operations.