In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton offers support for human Mars exploration.
Human Deep Space Exploration
Clinton supports human Mars exploration
Space News (9/13): U.S. presidential contender Hillary Clinton pledged support for the human exploration of Mars in response to a questionnaire from ScienceDebate.org. Clinton did not elaborate on possible changes to current strategy that calls for a human presence in the Martian environs by the mid 2030s. Rival Donald Trump expressed support for a strong space program, but did not elaborate on Mars as a goal.
The nearly forgotten story of the black women who helped land a man on the moon
Washington Post (9/13): The newly released book Hidden Figures tells the story of young black women with math skills recruited by NASA’s forerunner, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, in the 1930s to participate in wind tunnel research that would later help to enable humans to launch into space. One of the women, Katherine G. Johnson, is a recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A feature film version of Hidden Figures is to reach theaters in January.
Space Science
Major earthquakes might be caused by the moon
Washington Post (9/13): The moon’s gravitational influence on the Earth, the same force responsible for ocean tides, may be sufficient to cause Earthquakes, according to scientists from the University of Tokyo.
Hubble Images Three Debris Disks Around G-Type Stars
Universe Today (9/13): The 26-year-old Hubble Space Telescope has spotted planet-forming debris disks around three sun-like stars.
Low Earth Orbit
Israel’s new spy satellite reportedly encounters trouble after launch
Space News (9/14): An Israeli reconnaissance satellite, Ofeq 11, apparently encountered difficulties as it reached orbit soon after liftoff on Tuesday. The country’s Ministry of Defense was assessing the matter.
U.S. Air Force’s Greaves nominated to lead Missile Defense Agency
Space News (9/13): U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves has been nominated by President Obama to lead the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. Greaves currently serves as commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
Antares return to flight now planned for early October
Space News (9/13): Orbital ATK is looking to early October for the launching of the next U.S. commercial re-supply mission to the International Space Station. The liftoff will mark the first for Orbital ATK from Wallops Island, Va., since an October 2014 Antares launch vehicle explosion. Orbital ATK kept its NASA space station cargo contract obligations by launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. with the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 launch vehicle while it modified the Antares that will return to service at Wallops.
SpaceX says rocket launches could resume as soon as November
Orlando Sentinel (9/13): SpaceX announced Tuesday it may resume launches of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle in November. President Gwynne Shotwell offered the planning date before a satellite business conference in Paris. The company’s latest Falcon 9 launch vehicle exploded early Sept. 1 as it was being prepared for a pre-launch hot fire test of the first stage rocket engines. The cause remains under investigation.
Falcon 9 accident won’t affect Air Force certification
Space News (9/13): SpaceX is retaining a certification to launch U.S. national security payloads in the aftermath of a Sept.1 Falcon 9 launch vehicle explosion, according to Winston Beauchamp, the deputy undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force who spoke at the the AIAA Space 2016 conference in Long Beach, Calif.
Babin Wants Regulatory Rethink for Commercial Space
Spacepolicyonline.com (9/13): U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, chair of the U.S. House space subcommittee, on Tuesday urged a re-thinking of efforts among policy makers to regulate commercial space ventures. Babin, who spoke to a gathering of the Commercial Space Flight Federation, expressed concerns excessive regulation could stifle innovation or smother creativity.
Quick work saved the OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission from nearby explosion
Spaceflightnow.com (9/13): At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on Sept. 1, the military reacted quickly to prevent an explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle from causing wider damage. The Air Force was challenged by difficulties with the water deluge system and a crucial “chiller” thermal control system. Their efforts preserved a successful launch opportunity for United Launch Alliance’s neighboring Atlas 5 with NASA’s Osiris-Rex asteroid sample return mission.