NASA Notice of information collection: NASA's education and outreach activities

"NASA's education and outreach activities are funded by NASA's Office of Education, Mission Directorates, and Offices of Chief Technologist and Communications. NASA's Education Coordinating Council includes representatives from each of NASA's field Centers plus the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which deliver education and outreach. Data collection to be covered by this request are organized around three goals: (1) Contribute to the development of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA's strategic goals, through a portfolio of investments; (2) attract and retain students in STEM disciplines through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers, and faculty; and (3) build between STEM formal and informal education providers strategic partnerships and linkages that promote STEM literacy and awareness of NASA's missions."

NASA: Extra money needed to launch JWST this decade, Sapceflightnow

"Rick Howard, NASA's JWST program director, said the agency determined the observatory could launch on a European Ariane 5 rocket as soon as October 2018, but it would require fresh funding. And with the federal government focused on wrangling in debt, a budget increase for the troubled JWST project is unlikely. NASA officials were speaking to the agency's astrophysics advisory council, a board of senior researchers chartered to provide advice and input in major scientific and programmatic decisions. "To get to [launch] in 2018, it's going to take a significant amount of new funds," Howard said."

Joint Shuttle/ISS Crew Press Conference

"The 10 crew members aboard space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station will hold a news conference at 8:24 a.m. CDT on Friday, July 15. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 40-minute news conference."

A Short Chat With Someone Offworld

"If there is one thing I'd say [to policymakers] it is that we need to focus our efforts. I'd appeal to Congress to focus on the long term. They need to look at the horizon - look out 10 years and see where they want the nation to be. We need a coherent space policy that will take us 10 to 15 years out - a decadal plan - and then make it a law so that we have to follow it so that Congress and future administrations are obliged to follow the policy that we, as a nation, have set forth."

Report: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2012

"The bill includes a provision that repeals existing prohibitions on the implementation of Reductions in Force or other involuntary separations."

Failure Analysis of an EckAdams Office Chair from the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Building,
NASA Engineering Directorate Materials Science Division Kennedy Space Center, Florida

"A 17 year old EckAdams model number 5353 chair was submitted for failure analysis when the cylinder of the chair failed during use. Both macroscopic and microscopic indications of fatigue were observed on the cylinder fracture surface, indicating that the cylinder progressively failed due to the bending stresses imparted on the cylinder during a reclining motion. The stress on the cylinder was likely exacerbated by failed welds that were observed between the chair back mounting plate and the base plate, which ...."

Keith's note: Yes, NASA KSC actually did a full-blown failure analysis of an old piece of office furniture that broke. That's right - an old office chair broke (surprise) and the rocket scientists descended upon it as if it were a Mishap Investigation Board - like the kind that you set up after a rocket blows up. Included in this analysis were detailed SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and stereo microscopic imagery analysis. I would be willing to bet that the cost of this analysis certainly exceeded the cost of simply replacing the broken chair and that it vastly exceeded the actual value of the 17 year old chair itself. You hear people defending the way that NASA operates and then something like this shows up. You have to wonder if there is any common sense in the management manuals they use these days. I wonder if KSC PAO can dig up the actual cost of this CFA (Chair Failure Analysis).

Photo: Celebrating the Last Shuttle Launch with Food - NASA Style

According to someone@nasa.gov: "The LCS SE&I group celebrated the launch of STS-135 with homemade Italian bread and cold cuts!! Checkout this work of art!!"

Schiff Amendment to Provide FY 2012 Funding for James Webb Space Telescope Rejected

"The full House Appropriations Committee had been meeting for almost 3 1/2 hours yesterday when Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) rose to offer an amendment to provide $200 million for the James Webb Space Telescope in the FY 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill. A vote was pending on the House floor, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-KY) was ready to take a final vote to pass the bill. After brief comments by Schiff and Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA) a voice vote was called, and the amendment was rejected. Schiff's amendment would have moved $200 million from NASA's Cross Agency Support budget, for which the bill allocated approximately $3 billion. This amendment was one of several that sought to transfer money from this budget category to other programs. All were rejected."

NASA today debuts an inspirational video featuring the International Space Station and its crews set to the song "World" by recording artists Five for Fighting. The video features imagery of both the space station and the space shuttles that have served as the workhorses of space station construction and resupply. It uses selections from orbit as well as Earth-bound training and launch activities to communicate the importance of space exploration and its benefits for future generations. Intermixed are selections of video that show the beauty of planet Earth as seen from the space station and scenes of children inspired by space exploration. The lyrics emphasize that "history starts now" and invite listeners to ask the question, "What kind of world do you want?"

The video ends with a reminder that although STS-135 is the final space shuttle mission, the International Space Station will continue an uninterrupted human presence in space. The video will air on NASA Television at 7:15 p.m. CDT. For NASA TV schedules, downlink information and streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

To watch the video online, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=100242111

NASA also has released a new 26-minute video about the history, research and promise of the International Space Station. During the past decade, 15 nations have come together, setting aside boundaries and differences, to create the largest and longest inhabited object to ever orbit the Earth. To view that video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/multimedia/first10next10.html

For more information about the space shuttle and the space station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

Dawn Spacecraft to Enter Orbit Around Asteroid Vesta on July 15

"On July 15, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will begin a prolonged encounter with the asteroid Vesta, making the mission the first to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid.
The main asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Dawn will study Vesta for one year, and observations will help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system's history."

Senator Hutchison Calls for Immediate Action on Space Launch System

"No one questions the need to ensure the best understanding of program costs. We do that every year on an ongoing basis with every major NASA program, as we set spending levels in our annual budget. There is simply no need to defer announcing the vehicle design decision while awaiting yet another cost review. "To do so only increases the real human cost that NASA employees and contractors are experiencing in the face of continued uncertainty about the future. Without a decision we will continue to lose skilled workers that we need to build the shuttle replacements. Besides the toll this will take on workers and their families, who have contributed so much to science, our national security, and the economy, it will be difficult and more costly to replace this invaluable human capital. "We have the information to make a decision now, and I call on the Administration and OMB to immediately make public and approve NASA's technical design decision on the heavy lift vehicle."

In less than two weeks, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” has grossed more than $261 million at the box office. And along with the big-name actors involved, other stars of the movie are NASA workers, locations, and technologies.

Leaping Above The Sky One Last Time

"After a heart-stopping pause at T-31 seconds, Space Shuttle Atlantis left Earth and leapt above the sky this morning. This is the last time a space shuttle will ever do this - and everyone in attendance at the launch site knew it.

Up until a short time before launch gloomy weather forecasts had left a sense of doubt among all who gathered here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Half an hour or so before the scheduled launch time the weather suddenly started to improve - and with it, the crowd's expectations.

I am not going to write about all the geeky stuff. Everyone else is doing that."

American Astronomical Society Statement on Proposed Cancellation of Webb Space Telescope

"The American Astronomical Society calls upon all members of Congress to support JWST to its completion and to provide strong oversight on the path to this goal. Too many taxpayer dollars have already been spent to cancel the mission now; its benefits far outweigh the remaining costs. We must see the mission through. We are a great nation and we do great things. JWST represents our highest aspirations and will be one of our most significant accomplishments."

With a 70% chance of a weather violation the Space Shuttle Atlantis beat the odds and thrilled close to a million gathered people who waited hours to see the final launch of a Space Shuttle. Main engine cut-off and external tank separation have just occurred.

Update: Watch the final launch again on the next page.

Last Space Shuttle Flight: Textbook Countdown Threatened Only by Weather

"As things stand right now weather is the only thing standing in the way of an otherwise flawless countdown for the last Space Shuttle mission. No technical issues are being tracked except for some air conditioner problems in a building in Houston. In other words, this has been "textbook" thus far from the hardware point of view."

7 July update: As torrential showers descend upon Kennedy Space Center, concerns linger as to whether conditions tomorrow at this time will permit a launch to occur. As has been the case in the past bad weather can suddenly yield a favorable window. At this time NASA seems to be intent upon going ahead with the countdown in case this opportunity arises. If weather forces a scrub odds are that there will be 48 hour delay with an attempt on Sunday. A GPS launch currently has the range reserved between 11-5 July and NASA is looking at ways to possibly get 11 July from them.

NASA Signs Commercial Space Agreement With Sierra Nevada

"The umbrella space act agreement is Kennedy's latest step in its transition from a historically government-only launch complex to a multi-user spaceport. Sierra Nevada also has space act agreements with NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston; NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.; NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif.; and NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif."

Remarks by the President in Twitter Town Hall, The White House

"Question: So a slight deviation from the economy -- we have a lot of questions, and this will be our last before we start reading some responses to your question -- about the space program. And this one from Ron: "Now that the space shuttle is gone, where does America stand in space exploration?"

THE PRESIDENT: We are still a leader in space exploration. But, frankly, I have been pushing NASA to revamp its vision. The shuttle did some extraordinary work in low-orbit experiments, the International Space Station, moving cargo. It was an extraordinary accomplishment and we're very proud of the work that it did. But now what we need is that next technological breakthrough.

We're still using the same models for space travel that we used with the Apollo program 30, 40 years ago. And so what we've said is, rather than keep on doing the same thing, let's invest in basic research around new technologies that can get us places faster, allow human space flight to last longer."

"And what you're seeing now is NASA I think redefining its mission. And we've set a goal to let's ultimately get to Mars. A good pit stop is an asteroid. I haven't actually -- we haven't identified the actual asteroid yet, in case people are wondering. (Laughter.) But the point is, let's start stretching the boundaries so we're not doing the same thing over and over again, but rather let's start thinking about what's the next horizon, what's the next frontier out there.

But in order to do that, we're actually going to need some technological breakthroughs that we don't have yet. And what we can do is for some of this low-orbit stuff, some of the more routine space travel -- obviously no space travel is routine, but it could become more routine over time -- let's allow the private sector to get in so that they can, for example, send these low-Earth orbit vehicles into space and we may be able to achieve a point in time where those of you who are just dying to go into space, you can buy a ticket, and a private carrier can potentially take you up there, while the government focuses on the big breakthroughs that require much larger investments and involve much greater risk."

Appropriations Committee Releases the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations, House Appropriations Committee

"NASA is funded at $16.8 billion in the bill, which is $1.6 billion below last year's level and $1.9 billion below the President's request. This funding includes:

- $3.65 billion for Space Exploration which is $152 million below last year. This includes funding above the request for NASA to meet Congressionally mandated program deadlines for the newly authorized crew vehicle and launch system.

- $4.1 billion for Space Operations which is $1.4 billion below last year's level. The legislation will continue the closeout of the Space Shuttle program for a savings of $1 billion.

- $4.5 billion for NASA Science programs, which is $431 million below last year's level. The bill also terminates funding for the James Webb Space Telescope, which is billions of dollars over budget and plagued by poor management."