In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Bipartisan U.S. House appropriators vow to seek more funding for NASA in 2017.
Human Deep Space Exploration
House appropriators vow to seek more NASA funding
Space News (3/15): Republicans and Democrats alike vowed Tuesday to push for an increase for NASA’s proposed 2017 budget. Lawmakers are especially interested in increased funding for the Space Launch System exploration rocket and a planetary science mission to Europa, the ice covered moon of Jupiter. The 2017 White House spending proposal is $19 billion, $300 million less than the 2016 appropriations measure. The SLS, for example, received $2 billion for 2016, much more than the $1.3 billion proposed for 2017.
Culberson promises NASA resources it needs despite tough budget year
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/15): U.S. Rep. John Culberson, chair of the House appropriations panel responsible for NASA funding, vowed to deliver the funding NASA needs for timely development of the Space Launch System exploration rocket and the Orion crew capsule during a hearing Tuesday. A joint SLS/Orion uncrewed test flight is planned for late 2018, with piloted missions starting in the early 2020s.
NASA chief: Apollo engineers who criticize SLS don’t grok modern rocketry
Ars Technica (3/15): NASA Administrator Charles Bolden addressed concerns expressed Tuesday by U.S. House appropriators responsible for NASA’s budget. Their concern involved the Space Launch System exploration rocket and whether it could become too costly to operate. Bolden acknowledged the concerns attributed to Chris Kraft, the space agency’s initial Apollo era flight director. NASA is now much more astute in the selection of technologies and operating strategies, Bolden told the House appropriations panel.
Jacobs joins Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
Los Angeles Business Journal (3/15): Jacobs Engineering joins with 27 U.S. aerospace industry partners supporting the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration. “…as a member of the Coalition we share the commitment to advocate NASA’s deep space exploration program and endorse its vision to pursue the benefits returned to our country from long-term national investment in space exploration and scientific discovery,” said Ward Johnson, Jacobs Senior Vice President of Aerospace and Technology, in a statement.”
Space Science
Scientists to start fire in discarded spacecraft to study flames in weightless
Spaceflightnow.com (3/15): Orbital ATK plans to launch a NASA contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station later this month. When the capsule departs two months later, it will serve as an uncrewed platform for a fire in space experiment. The experiment will help the space agency design and prepare future spacecraft assigned to deep space exploration missions avoid a fiery disaster.
Wandering Jupiter could have swept inner solar system clean
Science News (3/15): As a young planet, Jupiter may have acted as a traffic cop, determining how the inner solar system would be arranged with rocky planets and when, according to the report.
On the hunt for a mystery planet
Nature News (3/15): At the Subaru Telescope in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, astronomer Scott Sheppard keeps a vigil, searching for Planet X, a fairly large planet though to lurk beyond Pluto but yet to be observed.
90 Years ago Goddard’s liquid-fueled rocket launched spaceflight
Universe Today (3/15): Rocket pioneer Robert Goddard began his experiments with liquid fueled rockets 90 years ago this week. The namesake of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center faced criticism in some quarters for his efforts to advance the science.
Low Earth Orbit
No decision to postpone Soyuz spacecraft launch to ISS space corporation
TASS, of Russia (3/16): High winds at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan disrupt but don’t delay plans to prepare a Russian Soyuz rocket for the launching of NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka to the International Space Station late Friday. The lift off is set for 5:26 p.m., EDT, with docking following at 11:11 p.m., EDT. The three men have trained for a six month stay.
Amarillo astronaut to be honored with new spacecraft, S.S. Rick Husband
Amarillo Globe News, of Texas (3/16): Orbital ATK has named its next commercial resupply mission Cygnus capsule in honor of NASA astronaut Rick Husband. Husband, an Amarillo native, served as commander of the shuttle Columbia’s final mission. The spacecraft broke apart during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003, claiming the lives of all seven aboard. The Cygnus spacecraft bearing Husband’s name is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., late Mar. 22. The capsule delivering about 7,500 pounds of crew supplies and science equipment will spend about two months berthed to the Space Station.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
China to establish first commercial rocket launch company
Xinhuanet, of China (3/15): China is close to recognizing its first commercial space enterprise.
Suborbital
Virgin Galactic space-tourist bookings back to pre-tragedy level
Bloomberg Business (3/15): Passenger interest in launching on suborbital flights with Virgin Galactic is returning to levels prior to an October 2014 test flight tragedy that claimed the life of one SpaceShipTwo pilot and injured another over California’s Mojave Desert. “It’s looking very good. There is a global desire to experience space,” George Whitesides, Virgin Galactic CEO, told a conference organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in Abu Dhabi.