Boeing Still Seeking $356M from Sea Launch Partners, SpaceNews
"Boeing has not abandoned its effort to collect $356 million from its former Sea Launch commercial launch service partners in Russia and Ukraine despite an initial setback at a Swedish arbitration panel, saying the companies in question "have the wherewithal to pay," Boeing said Feb. 9."
From the U to NASA, prison and back again, Daily Utah Chornicle
Convicted moon rock thief Thad Roberts: "(We) came out with a 600-pound safe, (estimated by the government to be worth $7 million to $21 million) sawed it open in a hotel room and sorted all the moon rocks, which included a meteorite from Mars," Roberts said. "I definitely knew at this point that I had the best rock collection in the world." Within a week, rumors spread, inevitably revealing Roberts' and the women's guilt. This resulted in an eight-year sentence for him, and only house arrest for the two women because he took the "leadership position" in the crime."
Keith's note: So Thad - you aren't at all sorry that you stole and damaged these invaluable research specimens? The author of this article doesn't seem to be interested in this obvious aspect of the story - indeed she writes: "In such a short time, Roberts has lived an unimaginable life, but he is continuing to complete his goals and hopes to see success in his future."
NASA Announces Plan To Win The Future With Fiscal Year 2012 Budget, NASA
"NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will brief reporters about the agency's fiscal year 2012 budget at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 14. The news conference will take place in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, located at 300 E St. S.W., in Washington.
Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Robinson will join Bolden. The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's web site. Questions will be taken from news media representatives at headquarters and NASA field centers."
NASA honors martyred Sally Zahran by putting name on spacecraft, Al-Masry Al-Youm
"This is the least we could provide to Egyptian youth and revolutionaries. This step represents transferring the dreams of Egyptian youth from a small stretch of earth to the enormous expanse of space," said Haji to Al-Mary Al-Youm."
NASA to name space ship after Egyptian martyr, Bikyamasr
"The United States' space agency, NASA, has okayed naming one of its spaceships after Sally Zahran, a young Egyptian woman killed during the first few days of anti-government demonstrations in Egypt. Essam Mohamed Haji, a researcher at NASA, told the Egyptian independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm he had received approval to put the young woman's name on a spaceship heading for Mars."
NASA rocket to bear name of Egyptian woman killed in protests, NDTV
"The paper quoted Essam Mohamed Haji, a young researcher at NASA, as saying Thursday that he had received approval to put the young woman Sally Zahran's name on a spaceship heading for Mars."
Keith's note: I am assuming that this is not true - but it does speak to what people think of NASA around the world - i.e. that being associated with it - and its missions - is something special.
It's oversight season: 'Hundreds' of hearings to tackle funding cuts, The Hill
"House appropriations oversight season starts in earnest this week as subcommittees hold the first of "hundreds" of oversight hearings to trim funding for federal agencies and programs. On Wednesday, two of the 12 appropriations subcommittees are set to review budget numbers with key officials from the Justice Department, Commerce Department, NASA and Securities and Exchange Commission."
Keith's note: As much as I loathe the overuse of the word "awesome" by Gen Y, the NASA Advisory Council took an informal vote during lunch break and asked me to post this video. Tip of the hat to NASA PAO. Direct link for those of you that have YouTube blocked by NASA.
Keith's update: A Carnegie astronomer notes: "While brimming with enthusiasm, this video makes a major error by claiming that JWST will be able "to see the Earth" if it was 25 light-years away. Sadly, this is not true. Here is what the JWST web page states is the true capability of JWST: "Webb can only see large planets orbiting at relatively large distances from the parent star. To see small Earth-like planets, which are billions of time fainter than their parent star, a space telescope capable of seeing at even higher angular resolution will be required. NASA is studying such a space mission, the Terrestrial Planet Finder." This quote is from the JWST web page located at: http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/faq.html#basic JWST will do fantastic science, but if someone says that it will do things that are impossible for it to do, the entire project is likely to suffer.
Dr.
Jim Green began his NASA career in 1980 at Marshall Space Flight
Center’s Magnetospheric Physics Branch where he developed and
managed the Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN), NASA’s precursor
to the Internet. From 1985 to 1992 he served as Head of the National
Space Science Data Center at the Goddard Space Flight Center,
followed by a 13-year stint as Chief of the Space Science Data
Operations Office. In 2005 he was named Chief of the Science Proposal
Support Office, where he served until August 2006 when he was
appointed Director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division.
SAIC was awarded the Enterprise Applications Service Technologies (EAST) contract by NASA to provide a broad range of information technology (IT) services in support of the NASA Enterprise Applications Competency Center. Work will be performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, AL.
A company is interested in licensing a film material that can be printed, sprayed, or transferred onto an anodized aluminum surface, such that the applied layer prevents oxygen from reaching and reacting with copper or other colored metals that are electro-deposited into the alumina pores. The abrasion-resistant barrier must withstand temperatures up to 800 °F for 10-15 minutes, and endure continuous heating up to 500 °F.
The Constellation Program and the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) funded the development of diagnostic models using the TEAMS (Testability Engineering and Maintenance System) tool for the Ares, Orion, and Ground Operations Projects to demonstrate operational uses for ground processing and launch operations. These models were found useful not only for operational pre-launch checkout, but also for analysis of failure effects, failure detection coverage, and fault isolation effectiveness. TEAMS, a commercial model-based tool from Qualtech Systems, Inc. (East Hartford, CT), performs fault diagnostics (isolation and identification). Fault isolation means identifying the location of the fault (cause) that is compromising system functions. Fault identification means identifying the failure mode (mechanism) that is causing system failure. Diagnostics refers to both fault isolation and identification functions.
Just in time for summer, NASA-developed wireless sensor technology is giving recreational boaters safer and more accurate readings of how much fuel is in their tanks. The magnetic measuring system also has potential uses in planes, trains, and automobiles.
NASA Budget Plan Restricts Spending On Private Rockets, WS Journal
"The Obama administration's proposed 2012 National Aeronautics and Space Administration budget, expected to total more than $18.5 billion, scales back funding for private rockets and spacecraft intended to take astronauts into orbit, according to government and industry officials"
FY 2012 Budget, OMB
"The President's new budget for Fiscal Year 2012 will be posted at 10:30 AM ET, February 14, 2011."
NASA Announces Plan To Win The Future With Fiscal Year 2012 Budget
"The NASA budget and supporting information will be available online at 1 p.m., Feb. 14, at: http://www.nasa.gov/budget"
Kohlenberger To Depart OSTP, Space News
"James Kohlenberger, chief of staff for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and a proponent of commercial space initiatives, will leave his post at the end of February after two years serving under U.S. President Barack Obama, according to a Feb. 7 e-mail obtained by Space News. ... Last February when Obama rolled out his 2011 budget blueprint for NASA, including controversial plans to kill the nation's lunar exploration program in favor of fostering a commercial market for privately built space taxis, Kohlenberger defended the decision."
House continuing resolution would bar NASA from China ties, Politico
"None of the funds made available by this division may be used for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company unless such activities are specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of enactment of this division," the bill's drafters wrote."
Nautilus-X - NASA's Multi-mission Space Exploration Vehicle Concept
- Long-duration space journey vehicle for crew of 6 for periods of 1 -24 months
- CIS-lunar would be initial Operations Zone [shakedown phase]
- Exo-atmospheric, Space-only vehicle
- Integrated Centrifuge for Crew Health
- Life Support in deployed Large Volume with shirt-sleeve servicing
- Truss & Stringer thrust-load distribution concept (non-orthogird)
- Capable of utilizing variety of Mission-Specific
- Propulsion Units [integrated in LEO, semi-autonomously
- Utilizes Inflatable & Deployed structures
- Incorporates Industrial Airlock for construction/maintenance
- Integrated RMS
- Supports Crewed Celestial-body Descent/Return Exploration vehicle(s)
- Utilizes Orion/Commercial vehicles for crew rotation & Earth return from LEO
In October of 2008, I thought one of the top-of-the-list items on my bucket list was about to get crossed off: I was going to see a Space Shuttle launch! The crew of STS-125 was preparing to leave “the surly bonds of Earth,” and their vehicle was kept company on her launch pad by their rescue vehicle – count ‘em up, that’s TWO space shuttles on Pads 39A and B. Never before done, and the sight was just magnificent. It was a no-brainer to attempt to see the launch. Though I wasn’t one for spontaneous purchases or decisions, two friends convinced me to click on “Purchase” on that website, and it was a done deal.
Unfortunately, between the Thursday when I bought the plane ticket, and the following Monday when I came into the office, the launch had been delayed…not by days or weeks, but months.
I was left with that item on the bucket list, now bolded, italicized, and underlined.
Eight months later, in June 2009, the crew of STS-127 was about to embark on their mission to the International Space Station (ISS), and everything looked good for launch…I mean, everything. So good, in fact, that three friends and I decided to make the drive out to Florida. We had exactly 15.5 hours to make a 16-hour trip.
#MissionFLby4 was born (some of you may recall the documentation of our adventures on Twitter & Facebook – we’re still apologizing for the barrage of posts in that 24-hour period!).
By the time we got through Baton Rouge, we were down an hour we didn’t have due to traffic, but onward we went. Somewhere between Baton Rouge and the Mississippi border, we realized we forgot about the CST to EST conversion.
Whoops. Another hour we didn’t have. #MissionFLby4 was now #MissionFLby4EST.
Just outside of Tallahassee, I got a text from a friend who was working in MCC, saying that he had heard about some issues. After a few interchanges, he gave up that he was only kidding around; I called him a jerk, and we pressed onward.
At 12:18 a.m., about 45 minutes later, with Tallahassee behind us, I got a call from another friend set to work console for the launch.
“Hey, where are you?” he asked. I told him.
“I’m not really sure how to tell you this, but…we’re not launching,” he informed me.
Momentary silence was followed by, “Are you serious? You can’t be serious. Spaceflightnow.com just had an update 18 minutes ago that said tanking is going well! Hold on, I’ll call you back.”
I quickly visited Spaceflight Now again. Last update, 12 a.m.: tanking proceeding nominally. I called my friend back – “Seriously? Spaceflightnow.com still says we’re good!” He asked if I really didn’t believe him.
“Nope, not really!” was my answer.
“Well, I don’t really know what to tell you. I was supposed to be on-console, and they just told me not to come in.”
Right in the middle of his explanation, I received a text message from another friend: “Scrubbed.”
Disheartened, we exited the freeway, U-turned, and headed back west.
In May, when I left Houston to go to the Cape for the last of our STS-132 training sessions, I had high hopes to see my first launch. I had a good feeling, but I didn’t want to jinx it. And on May 14th, when just before coming out of the 9-minute hold, we heard of “a loose bolt,” I froze.
“Foiled again?!” I thought.
Thankfully, it wasn’t. At 2:20 p.m. EST, I bore witness to one of the most breathtaking sights of human passion, dedication, intelligence, perseverance, and sheer genius ever. Seriously, if you haven’t seen a space shuttle launch, do yourself a favor and get out to Florida. You won’t regret it. And if you do, I’ll buy you dinner.
This week was a bit of a disappointment for many of us. Five launch attempts; five stark reminders that spaceflight is difficult, risky, and anything but routine. Though many of us were hoping to see Discovery embark on her very last mission, it takes but a moment’s thought to realize that we must be safe in our endeavors, first and foremost. With crews’ lives literally at stake, every minute detail must be examined, every issue addressed.
Over the last few days, as we waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited some, I couldn’t help but think about all of the hard work going into supporting each one of those launch attempts. I watched in awe as my coworkers in Houston and all of the support personnel in Florida, stuck in their own personal version of Groundhog Day, prepared to give Discovery the sendoff she deserves. It was yet more evidence of the dedication and passion of the teams who work to support the US human spaceflight program each and every day.
As these thoughts whirled through my head, I was reminded again of why I love being a part of this agency. It’s the intangibles we possess – the people, the collective intelligence, the shared passion and pride – that contribute to the success of our missions. We are an agency of motivated, passionate, dedicated, and inspired individuals who are driven each day to contribute to fulfill humanity’s quest for the unknown, to satisfy the innate desire to achieve the impossible.
As Discovery lights up the night sky later this month, Endeavor embarks on her journey in February, and perhaps Atlantis on her true final voyage in June, I am confident that the nation will see evidence of the pride and passion we take in our work. Though our future is uncertain, our forward path unclear, I am hopeful that our united belief in the values of space exploration will see us through the successful completion of the Space Shuttle program, the continuation of the Space Station program, and onward to whatever new endeavors we embark upon as a nation.
Telescope Is Behind Schedule and Over Budget, Panel Says, NY Times
"The report raised fear that other projects would be hurt. "This is NASA's Hurricane Katrina," said Alan P. Boss, who leads the subcommittee that advises NASA's astrophysics program. The telescope, he said, "will leave nothing but devastation in the astrophysics division budget."
James Webb Telescope Project Project Reviewed and Reorganized In Wake of Massive Cost Overruns, Popsci
"JWST already consumes almost half of NASA's Astrophysics Division budget, according to Boss, who was not involved in the report but chairs a different NASA committee on astronomy. Infusing it with even more cash could hurt remaining astronomy programs, such as the Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope (WFIRST), a project that earned top priority in the Astro2010 astronomy decadal survey. If Webb fails, astronomy could be set back a generation."
Latest $1.5B in JWST Cost Overruns Imperils Other High-priority Projects, Space News
"Alan Stern, a former associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said the cost growth could ravage the agency's $1.1 billion annual astrophysics budget, 40 percent of which is already consumed by JWST development. "Are we going to turn off all the many existing astrophysics satellites and kill the support to analyze the data from them and stop building anything else, just so JWST can continue to overrun?" Stern said. "That's the question that the astrophysics community has to ask of itself, and that NASA should be asking."
Hubble's over-budget successor may be delayed for years, New Scientist
"I doubt we're going to find $200 million [per year]," NASA Associate Administrator Chris Scolese told reporters on Wednesday. "We're in a time of fiscal [conservatism] where we have to make every dollar count." New management It is not yet clear whether NASA will try to funnel money from other projects to JWST to make the 2015 launch date or whether the mission will get delayed even further."
Keith's note: Let's see: JWST needs $400 - $500 in the next two budgets. That money is not there. NASA already does not have the money for the Congressionally mandated STS-135 mission (a similar amount). Between ongoing CRs and expected budgeteering by the new Republican-led Congress NASA certainly does not stand to get more money. Indeed it will probably get less money. So ... where does the money come from, Chris? Do you and Ed Weiler continue to erode the remainder of NASA's astrophysics program or do you go after other things in SMD's budget? Get in line - MSL already has its sights on that money. Do you therefore go outside of SMD to fix JWST? Good luck with that.
"Transition and Implementation: The Nasa Authorization Act of 2010
Nov 18 2010 10:00 AM
Russell Senate Office Building - 253
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces the following full committee hearing titled Transition and Implementation: The Nasa Authorization Act of 2010."
NASA administrator to receive honorary Air University degree
"NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden will receive the third honorary degree conferred by Air University, in recognition of his contributions in education, government, public service and community affairs, here 9 a.m., Monday. ... The ceremony is open for media coverage."
Keith's note: Of course this media release went out from Maxwell AFB, not NASA PAO (they almost never mention these Bolden speaking events in advance) and it was issued the evening before a Federal holiday and a long weekend for many regarding an even first thing next Monday morning. That said, I wonder if the White House knows that Bolden will be made available to the mainstream media?
Two More Media-Free Speaking Appearances for Bolden, earlier post
Keith's update: "From: This Just In - MSFC
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 3:30 PM
To: MSFC-DL-The Marshall Team
Subject: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to hold all-hands at Marshall Center Tuesday, Nov. 16
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will hold an all-hands with Marshall employees at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, at Activities Building 4316. All Marshall team members are invited to attend. The all-hands will be available on Marshall TV and Desktop TV. Transportation will be provided. A bus schedule will be posted on Inside Marshall as soon as it becomes available."
Final Memorandum Assessing Launch Services Program's Interim Response Team Training Requirements
"While the mishap plans we reviewed appropriately identified roles and responsibilities for managing contingency actions, NASA has not established training requirements for Interim Response Team members. In addition, we found that training requirements for Interim Response Team members in the Launch Services Program's mishap plan were inconsistent with mishap plans developed by Kennedy Space Center, the Science Mission Directorate, and the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. We also determined that none of the 16 safety and mission assurance personnel assigned as Kennedy Interim Response Team members during the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter/Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LRO/LCROSS) launch missions had completed all of the required training included in the mission-specific mishap plans, and only 3 of the 16 had completed the "Introduction to Mishap Investigations" training course required by the Kennedy Mishap Plan."
