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NASA International Space Station Commander to speak at BSU

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NASA astronaut and Boise State University Professor of the Practice Steve Swanson will share stories about his time aboard the International Space Station at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the Student Union Simplot Ballroom on the BSU Campus.

The event is free and open to the public. Hourly parking is available in the Lincoln Avenue Garage.

Swanson spent six months in orbit on the ISS, from March to September 2014; in May he took over as commander of Expedition 40.

During a live downlink from space sponsored by the Space Broncos student group, Swanson spoke with Boise State students and the community -- and demonstrated some of the unusual aspects of living in microgravity. The downlink was part of Boise States Space Symposium, which included presentations by students and faculty engaged in NASA-related research and education programs.

Swanson will also present Boise State University with a ball cap he wore during that downlink from space at a special on-field recognition during the Nov. 15 football game against San Diego State in Albertsons Stadium.

While in Boise, Swanson will visit with engineering students and tour several research labs on campus.

Steve Swansons visit is a great boost for our students and faculty and it reminds us that NASA is an integral part of our community, said Barbara Morgan, former NASA astronaut and current distinguished educator in residence at Boise State. We are pleased to have several strong ties to NASA, including NASA-funded research programs, participation in the Microgravity University and Zero Robotics programs, student internships, the NASA Pre-Service Teacher Institute, the McNair Scholars Program, Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars and our own Space Broncos Team Swanson student organization.

Swanson, who has a Ph.D. in computer science, became an astronaut in 1998. His flight experience includes two space shuttle missions and one long-duration mission on the International Space Station. On the 2007 Atlantis shuttle mission, Swanson helped deliver, install and repair equipment and performed two spacewalks on the space station. On 2009s Discovery shuttle mission to the space station, Swanson again delivered and installed equipment and performed two spacewalks. As commander of the International Space Stations Expedition 40, he led the team of astronauts and cosmonauts and conducted science and technology experiments.

Swanson and his family live in Houston, Texas. His parents live in Eagle, Idaho.

Steve Swanson is one of five Boise State University Professors of the Practice.

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NASA International Space Station Commander to speak at BSU

NASA Media Accreditation Opens for Launch of Next SpaceX Station Resupply Mission

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Media accreditation is open for the launch of NASA's next commercial cargo resupply flight to the International Space Station.

SpaceX is currently targeting no earlier than Dec. 9 for liftoff of its Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. This will be the company's sixth visit to the space station and fifth commercial resupply mission, delivering several tons of supplies, including new science experiments and technology research.

Prelaunch and launch activities for media will take place at CCAFS and nearby at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply for credentials to cover activities by Nov. 2 to gain access to CCAFS for the launch. Accreditation is open until 4:30 p.m. Nov. 17 for international media without U.S. citizenship who do not need access to CCAFS. The deadline for U.S. media to apply for credentials is 4:30 p.m. Nov. 21.

All media accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

International journalists must submit a scanned copy of their "I" visa and passport. Green card holders must submit a scanned copy of their card. Questions about accreditation and all scanned documents should be directed to Jennifer Horner atjennifer.p.horner@nasa.gov, 321-867-6598 or 321-867-2468.

All media representatives must present two forms of legal, government identification to access Kennedy. One form must be a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.

For more information about the SpaceX resupply mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

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NASA Media Accreditation Opens for Launch of Next SpaceX Station Resupply Mission

NASA Administrator to Visit Marshall Space Flight Center; Talks Space Station Oct. 28

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NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will get a behind-the-scenes look at the science command post for the International Space Station when he visits NASA's Payload Operations Integration Center at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Oct. 28.

Journalists are invited to participate in the tour and media availability with Bolden at 11 a.m. CDT. Bolden will call space station Expedition 41 Flight Engineer Barry E. "Butch" Wilmore, who currently is living and working on the orbiting laboratory, at 11:30 a.m. from the control center. The phone call will be carried live on NASA Television.

The Marshall Payload Operations Integration Center allows researchers around the world to perform cutting-edge science in space by providing communications between investigators and the astronauts in orbit. Bolden also will chat with the expert payload operations team, which has helped conduct more than 1,500 science investigations and student experiments from 82 countries.

Media interested in attending must contact Jennifer Stanfield in Marshall's Public and Employee Communications Office at 256-544-0034 no later than 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. Media must report to the Redstone Arsenal Joint Visitor Control Center at Gate 9, Interstate 565 interchange at Rideout Road/Research Park Boulevard by 10 a.m. on Oct. 28. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate. Media will need two photo identifications and proof of car insurance.

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

NASA TV Live

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For Wilmore's biography, visit:

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NASA Administrator to Visit Marshall Space Flight Center; Talks Space Station Oct. 28

NASA seeks ultra-lightweight materials to help enable journey to Mars

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13 hours ago by David E. Steitz

NASA is seeking proposals to develop and manufacture ultra-lightweight materials for aerospace vehicles and structures of the future. Proposals will demonstrate lower-mass alternatives to honeycomb or foam cores currently used in composite sandwich structures.

Composite sandwich structures are a special type of material made by attaching two thin skins to a lightweight core. This type of composite is used extensively within the aerospace industry and in other applications where reducing weight while maintaining structural strength is important. A common use for these sorts of composites is the shrouds for launch vehicles and other key technology components that will enable our journey to Mars.

The goal of this Game Changing Development Program effort is to develop and demonstrate scalable and cost-effective manufacturing approaches to produce ultra-lightweight core materials both as flat panels and curved structures. The final products will have half or less the area density of conventional honeycomb cores, with equal or better mechanical properties.

Over the next year, NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) will continue to seek industry and university partnerships to assure the agency has the capabilities it needs, while helping America maintain its leadership in the technology-driven global economy. These investments will focus on in-space propulsion and advanced high-power solar arrays; robotics and avionics for outer planetary exploration, especially high-reliability and low-mass, deep ice penetration systems; advanced materials, including large composite structures; and space observatory systems, with a focus on advanced optical coating materials.

"Technology drives exploration and ultra-lightweight materials will play a key role in our future missions," said Michael Gazarik, associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This call for proposals continues a cadence of solicitations that touch on a specific set of thrust areas needed to push human and robotic exploration farther in the solar system."

The reduced mass will lead to an increase in NASA's mission capability while decreasing mission costs and also may provide spinoffs that benefit diverse sectors of the economy and increase the nation's competitiveness.

Proposals will be accepted from U.S. organizations, including NASA centers and other government agencies, federally funded research and development centers, educational institutions, industry and nonprofit organizations. NASA expects to make two awards of up to $550,000 each for this first development phase.

The solicitation, entitled SpaceTech-REDDI-2015 NNH15ZOA001N-15GCD-C1 Ultra-lightweight Core Materials for Efficient Load-Bearing Composite Sandwich Structures Appendix, is available through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System website by going to "Solicitations" and then "Open Solicitations" at: nspires.nasaprs.com/

Explore further: NASA selects proposals for advanced energy storage systems

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NASA seeks ultra-lightweight materials to help enable journey to Mars

New Commercial Rocket Descent Data May Help NASA With Future Mars Landings

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NASA successfully captured thermal images of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on its descent after it launched in September from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The data from these thermal images may provide critical engineering information for future missions to the surface of Mars.

"Because the technologies required to land large payloads on Mars are significantly different than those used here on Earth, investment in these technologies is critical," said Robert Braun , principal investigator for NASA's Propulsive Descent Technologies (PDT) project and professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta . "This is the first high-fidelity data set of a rocket system firing into its direction of travel while traveling at supersonic speeds in Mars-relevant conditions. Analysis of this unique data set will enable system engineers to extract important lessons for the application and infusion of supersonic retro-propulsion into future NASA missions."

NASA equipped two aircraft with advanced instrumentation to document re-entry of the rocket's first stage. The first stage is the part of the rocket that is ignited at launch and burns through the rocket's ascent until it runs out of propellant, at which point it is discarded from the second stage and returns to Earth. During its return, or descent, NASA captured quality infrared and high definition images and monitored changes in the smoke plume as the engines were turned on and off.

"NASA's interest in building our Mars entry, descent and landing capability and SpaceX's interest and experimental operation of a reusable space transportation system enabled acquisition of these data at low cost, without standing up a dedicated flight project of its own," said Charles Campbell , PDT project manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston .

NASA's Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project team at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia , had their eyes, cameras and telescopes trained on the Falcon with the help of two long-range aircraft provided by NASA and the U.S. Navy.

A NASA WB-57, a twin jet engine high-altitude research aircraft from Johnson, was equipped with a long-range infrared optical system to capture the images. It is a unique full-motion video camera system that is gimbal-mounted on the nose of the WB-57. It collects full-color high definition and infrared video.

A Navy NP-3D Orion aircraft from the Naval Air Systems Command Weapons Division's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron-30 at Point Mugu, California , was equipped with a long-range infrared optical system and also took thermal images of the launch.

On launch day, the WB-57 and NP-3D Orion reached their observation locations about 50 miles from the projected rocket trajectory. After launch, the rocket emitted enough thermal energy for the plane's infrared cameras to catch a glimpse. Both flight crews then worked to obtain data as the first stage descended at supersonic speeds off the coast of Georgia .

"Through our partnership with SpaceX we're gaining access to real-world test data about advanced rocket stage design and retro-propulsion," said Michael Gazarik , NASA's associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Through this partnership we're saving the taxpayer millions of dollars we'd otherwise have to spend to develop and test rockets and flights in-house. This is another great example of American companies partnering with NASA to enable our future exploration goals."

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New Commercial Rocket Descent Data May Help NASA With Future Mars Landings

Orbital Antares GO to WOW US East Coast Spectators for 1st Night Launch on Oct. 27

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Antares rocket stand erect, reflecting off the calm waters the night before their first night launch from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility, VA, targeted for Oct. 27 at 6:45 p.m. Credit: Ken Kremer kenkremer.com

NASA WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY, VA An Orbital Sciences Corp. commercial Antares rocket was given the GO for its first night launch on Oct. 27, following a launch readiness review on Sunday, Oct. 26, between managers from Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia, and NASA.

The rocket was rolled to the launch pad and erected. Technicians are putting the final touches on the rocket to prepare it for flight to the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA and Orbital Sciences are targeting Antares for blastoff at 6:45 p.m. EDT on Oct. 27 from beachside Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility on Virginias eastern shore.

There is a 10 minute launch window to get Antares off the ground as the launch pad moves into the plane of the space stations orbit. The slightly longer launch window is due to the extra thrust available from using a new, more powerful ATK built upper stage engine.

Technicians processing Antares rocket on Oct 26 to prepare for first night launch from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility, VA, on Oct. 27 at 6:45 p.m. Credit: Ken Kremer kenkremer.com

The rare spectacle of a night launch within view of tens of millions could WOW hordes of US East Coast residents in densely populated areas up and down the Atlantic shoreline weather permitting.

The current forecast calls for an almost unheard of 98% chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time.

Depending on local weather conditions, the Antares blastoff will be visible along much of the US eastern seaboard stretching from Maine to South Carolina.

Orbital 3 Launch from NASA Wallops Island, VA on Oct. 27, 2014- Time of First Sighting Map. This map shows the rough time at which you can first expect to see Antares after it is launched on Oct. 27, 2014. It represents the time at which the rocket will reach 5 degrees above the horizon and varies depending on your location . We have selected 5 degrees as it is unlikely that youll be able to view the rocket when it is below 5 degrees due to buildings, vegetation, and other terrain features. However, depending on your local conditions the actual time you see the rocket may be earlier or later. As an example, using this map when observing from Washington, DC shows that Antares will reach 5 degrees above the horizon approximately 117 seconds after launch (L + 117 sec). Credit: Orbital Sciences

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Orbital Antares GO to WOW US East Coast Spectators for 1st Night Launch on Oct. 27

Airborne 10.24.14: AML’s Innovations, NASA Preps For Mars, LightHawk Saves – Video

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Airborne 10.24.14: AML #39;s Innovations, NASA Preps For Mars, LightHawk Saves
Also: AW609 Pilots Honored, Airbus #39; VIP Cabin, FreeFlight #39;s FTX-200, Quicksilver S-LSA Milestone During our visit this week to NBAA 2014, Jim Campbell had a chance to talk with Mark Lange...

By: Aero-News Network

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Airborne 10.24.14: AML's Innovations, NASA Preps For Mars, LightHawk Saves - Video


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