Space Shuttle Discovery now set for Wednesday Launch, SpaceRef
"After meeting this morning to discuss the status of repairs to replace both shuttle and ground side couplings, NASA Managers decided to delay the launch another 24 hours to allow engineers to complete testing and to allow for repressurization of helium tanks. "
China to launch manned space lab around 2020: report, Reuters
"China said on Wednesday it would launch a space lab to be manned for long stretches within about 10 years, a move it believes would bring it closer to the United States and Russia as powers capable of reaching the moon. The official Xinhua news agency, quoting an unidentified space official, said a trial space lab would be launched before 2016 to test equipment and techniques. But it was not clear if that lab would be manned for long periods."
NASA chief visits China manned space launch site, AP
"The visit succeeded in boosting understanding between the sides about their programs and the "importance of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit as the underlying principles of any future interaction between our two nations in the area of human spaceflight," Bolden was quoted as saying. No specific proposals were discussed during the visit, he said."
Keith's update: Hmm ... Bolden goes to China and doesn't discuss anything of importance. Then a few days after he gets home China announces that it is going to build its own space station.
US drifting from China in space, Asia Times Online
"In fact, Bolden and other NASA personnel must be very careful about what they say to Chinese space officials. Any discussion of specific projects involving joint cooperation on human space flight activities in particular is tantamount to a powder keg in Washington, DC. This delicate state of affairs has now taken on added meaning given China's announcement in late October that its own manned space station project has commenced with a possible completion date of 2020."
Orbital Paths of U.S., China Set to Diverge, Wall Street Journal
"Gen. Charles Bolden became the first head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to tour China's highly sensitive manned space flight facilities during his visit last week--access that both sides might have portrayed as a major breakthrough in a different climate. China then underlined the scale of its manned space program when it announced Wednesday that it planned to launch the first part of a manned space station by 2016, and to complete a "relatively large" laboratory by around 2020."
China is on path to 'militarization of space', Christian Science Monitor
"Meanwhile, some have pointed out that China's moonshot, like all space programs, has valuable potential military offshoots. China's space program is controlled by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which is steadily gaining experience in remote communication and measurement, missile technology, and antisatellite warfare through missions like Chang'e 2."
China piecing together space station, Nature
"The Tiangong-2 space laboratory, which will be used for scientific experiments and to test living conditions, will be launched by 2016. The Tiangong-3 core cabin unit, which will extend the experimental facilities, will complete the ensemble in 2020. What this means for recent negotiations concerning China's participation in the International Space Station were not clear. "
China kicks off manned space station program, Xinhua
"China planned to launch two unmanned space modules, Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8, in 2011, which were expected to accomplish the country's first space docking and were regarded as an essential step toward building a space station. Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace, would eventually be transformed into a manned space laboratory after experimental dockings with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft, with the last two carrying two or three astronauts each."
Nile Delta at Night As Seen From Orbit
"From 220 miles above Earth, one of the Expedition 25 crew members on the International Space Station took this night time photo featuring the bright lights of Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt on the Mediterranean coast. The Nile River and its delta stand out clearly as well. On the horizon, the airglow of the atmosphere is seen across the Mediterranean. The Sinai Peninsula, at right, is outlined with lights highlighting the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba."
Sean O'Keefe Recounts Surviving Alaskan Crash, AOL
"The degree of separation between survival and not was a fraction of what you'd imagine," said O'Keefe, who still wears a brace for his fractured neck and a leg guard for his severely broken ankle. He also suffered a dislocated hip and broken ribs. "It could have been anybody. The randomness of this whole experience was such that any doubt you have about divine intervention goes away," said O'Keefe, 54, who returned to work this week at the Washington office of a European aerospace firm."
Stevens Plane Crash Survivor Recounts Experience, AP
"He said he was greatly relieved that his 19-year-old son, Kevin O'Keefe, survived. "I can't even imagine surviving from this experience if he were not OK," he said."
He survived plane crash that killed Ted Stevens
"Former NASA Administrator and Secretary of the Navy Sean O'Keefe was dazed and confused when he regained consciousness, unaware for a moment that the single-engine DeHavilland DHC-3T he and eight others had been flying en route to a remote Alaskan fishing camp had just crashed into the side of a mountain."
Announcing the Launch of IaaS, powered by Nebula
"Today, the pre-release of NASA Cloud Services, powered by Nebula is available to all NASA personnel. Plans call for the pre-release to be seamlessly transitioned to production after the Operational Readiness Review (ORR) is completed in the coming weeks."
NASA wants to run space missions, not data centers, ComputerWorld
"NASA CTO Chris Kemp said he believes that compute resources are fundamentally a utility, no different than electric power. And "we don't own power plants right now - we don't own other services that are provided as utilities," he said "I don't see why NASA needs to operate any infrastructure," said Kemp. "We can build space probes, we can build deep space networks, we can stay out on the frontiers, where the American public wants us to be and not spend over $1 billion a year on it infrastructure."
OpenStack: An Open Cloud Initiative Makes its 1st Release, ReadWrite Cloud
"It's official. Open Stack has made its first release. It's a major moment for the nascent open cloud initiative, a service that combines the Rackspace object storage capabilities with NASA's Nebula, the open computing effort from the U.S federal space agency."
China's space program: phantom menace or new hope?, GlobalTimes.cn
"It's the silly season in the US. So it's no surprise, just a disappointment, that some of the US legislators, especially the Republicans set to retake Congress, are again sharpening their sword and sticking it to China. I'm not talking about exchange rates, jobs, the environment or human rights, but something more deadly serious: the future of the final frontier. It's Star Wars season in Washington and the US empire is striking back. This silliness is only eclipsed by the stupidity of timing the visit this week to China of former astronaut and now National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) head, Charlie Bolden so close to election day. The visit was reportedly agreed by Chinese Presidents Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama when they met last November, but I can't believe that the visit had to be scheduled at a time that provides a clear opportunity for China-bashers in the US."
Three-legged space race for China and US?, Shangaiist
"That being said, space analyst, Morris Jones comments that nothing too exciting is going to be happening at these meetings. "Bolden is there basically just to shake a few hands. It's the first step in a very long process to get co-operation between the US and China in space flight... [r]elations between the US and China are very bad at the moment for all sorts of political and economic reasons." You don't say. Could it have to do with China callling the US a preening pig?"
Keith's note: While the semi- and quasi-official media in China attempt to spin an/or dissect the political undertones of Bolden's visit, NASA is utterly inert when it comes to any news whatsoever regarding Bolden's activities in China. No travel itineraries, no speech transcripts, photos - nothing. Its as if, once again, he has gone into overseas stealth mode.
Keith's update: According to Lori Garver Bolden is on his way home. Still no news.
Keith's note: I have sent multiple requests to NASA LaRC PAO, posted requests on their Facebook page, and made Twitter commentary. Yet they still refuse to release the names of the people who will be speaking at this NASA-sponsored and supported event. Why are they refusing to release this information? Laziness? Bad planning? Arrogance?
Keith's update: Once again NASA LaRC's Stephen Craft has formally refused my request for a list of speakers. Craft et al clearly know who these speakers are by virtue of their Twitter teases yet they seem to be in utterly uninterested in the transparency and openness that you see coming from the White House, NASA HQ, etc. It is quite obvious that Lesa Roe (who has been cc:ed on these requests) thinks that rules that apply to the rest of the agency do not apply to her employees at LaRC.
Oh yes, NASA civil servants are allowed to charge their time (up to 8 hours) to a special account while NASA LaRC contractor employees need to charge the time to annual leave.
- TEDxNASA Organizers Did Not Learn Much From Last Year's Event, earlier post
- TEDxNASA 2010 Focus: Science and/or Pseudoscience?, earlier post
- TEDxNASA 2010, earlier post
NASA Missions Uncover The Moon's Buried Treasures
"By understanding the processes and environments that determine where water ice will be, how water was delivered to the moon and its active water cycle, future mission planners might be better able to determine which locations will have easily-accessible water. The existence of mostly pure water ice could mean future human explorers won't have to retrieve the water out of the soil in order to use it for valuable life support resources. In addition, an abundant presence of hydrogen gas, ammonia and methane could be exploited to produce fuel."
An Overview of the Canadian Space Agency Exploration Core Program, SpaceRef
"At the recent 61st International Astronautical Congress in Prague, Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, Head of Exploration Planning at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), provided an overview of Canada's preparatory exploration activities. While Canada has been involved in exploration activities for 25 years with its contributions in robotics, science and astronaut core, it wasn't until 2007 that the CSA created the Exploration Core Program to unify the activities within the agency."
NASA Deputy Administrator Available for Interviews at Spaceport
"NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver will attend a dedication celebrating completion of the runway at Spaceport America in New Mexico at 11 a.m. MST on Friday, Oct. 22. She will be available before and after the event for media interviews. Garver will speak at the runway dedication event and also will be a keynote speaker on Thursday at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces, N.M."
United Space Alliance Memo: CEO/COO Message: Retirement Plan Changes
"As you know, United Space Alliance has been undergoing a significant transformation in order for the company to remain competitive and successful following the completion of Shuttle Program operations and the closeout of the Space Program Operations Contract (SPOC). Retirement plans like USA's defined benefits plans are a significant cost driver, and many of USA's competitors have eliminated such plans to drive their costs down. After fully considering all options available, USA is announcing its intention to terminate all of its defined benefit plans, effective as of the close of this plan year. You will receive official notices via US Mail to your home. This memo is an explanatory "heads up" of what this means to you."
NASA Open Government Summit Emphasized Data Exchange
"NASA is working to publish more of its data sets online and create more opportunities to engage with the public using digital tools. This was a major part of the discussion during the monthly Open Government Community Summit at NASA Headquarters in Washington last week. NASA's Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of the Chief Financial Officer hosted the meeting. The event brought leaders from both government and public sectors together to discuss transparency, participation and collaboration in an era of emerging new technologies, maturing systems and increased generation of open data."
"Dear Gen. Bolden: My friends at PETA tell me that NASA plans to fund a cruel radiation experiment on squirrel monkeys at Harvard's McLean Hospital and New York's Brookhaven National Laboratory. These scientifically invalid experiments squander $1.75 million of taxpayers' money and cost animals their health and freedom, so the price isn't right on any count. The sensitive, intelligent squirrel monkeys who would be blasted with radiation in this experiment would no doubt suffer from brain damage, cancerous tumors, blindness, and a loss of motor control. Following the exposure, these social animals would spend the rest of their lives isolated in barren laboratory cages and subjected to years of behavioral experiments."
I am not alone in this opinion: Former astronauts, the European Space Agency, scientists, physicians and compassionate people around the world agree that these cruel experiments would not help protect astronauts traveling to deep space and violate our evolving relationship with other species.
I urge you to cancel this ill-advised plan.
Sincerely, Bob Barker"
Building Europe's vision for space exploration
"Europe's vision for launching astronauts and robot explorers out into the Solar System will come into sharper focus on 21 October when the ministers responsible for space activities meet in Brussels to discuss Europe's goals for space exploration. Events can be followed live on the web. Ministers from the 29 ESA and EU states will rendezvous in Brussels this week for their second International Conference on Space Exploration as the next step towards creating a future European exploration strategy. The ministers will build on the debate begun a year ago in Prague during the first high-level conference dedicated to the topic."
Strange Lunar Brew, Paul Spudis
"Just after it has been relegated to a "been there, done that" status, the Moon again shows us we have a lot to learn about its history, physical state and the potential value of its resources. We must take the initiative to learn more as the Moon is crucial in developing and advancing a sustainable space faring infrastructure."
Virgin Galactic eyes NASA commercial space work, Reuters
"Virgin Galactic, an offshoot of billionaire Richard Branson's London-based Virgin Group VA.L, plans to compete in the upcoming race to develop orbital space vehicles, Branson said on Friday. NASA plans to issue a solicitation as early as Monday for a follow-up to its $50 million Commercial Crew Development program, (for developing commercial crew spaceflight concepts), as part of a broader revamping of the U.S. space program under President Barack Obama. The program is funding work by five companies -- Sierra Nevada Corp, Boeing Co (BA.N), United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Paragon Space Development -- as part of Obama's bid to bolster support for private space companies."
Spaceport Runway Dedication Includes Sir Richard Branson and NM Governor Richardson
"Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator of NASA, said, "With the recent signing of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 by President Obama, it is clear that our nation's future space efforts will be working even more closely than with the growing commercial space transportation industry," She added, "Innovative approaches that foster this new commercial industry will bring more competition and opportunities that will lower the costs of spaceflight and payload services for America's aerospace programs, and introduce new human space transportation systems."
NASA Releases Report About Australia Balloon Mishap
"A NASA panel that investigated the unsuccessful April 28 launch of a scientific balloon from Alice Springs, Australia, has released its report. The board was led by Michael L. Weiss of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The board's report listed 25 proximate, intermediate and root causes related to insufficient risk analysis, contingency planning, personnel training, technical knowledge, government oversight and public safety accommodations."
Astronaut Doug Wheelock Checks In With Foursquare From International Space Station
"NASA astronaut and International Space Station Commander Doug Wheelock became the first person to "check in" from space Friday using the mobile social networking application Foursquare. Wheelock's check in to the space station launches a partnership between NASA and Foursquare to connect its users to the space agency, enabling them to explore the universe and discover Earth. The partnership also features a customized section of the Foursquare website for NASA, where the agency will provide official tips and information about the nation's space program in locations throughout the United States."
On Monday, the President signed the 2010 NASA Authorization Act into law with little fanfare. After an acrimonious debate that started with the February proposal of an FY2011 budget that would have dramatically shifted the agency’s goals and defied the traditional definitions of partisan warfare, the Senate’s compromise – championed by our own Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Florida’s Sen. Bill Nelson – won the day.
There are two things in the Authorization Act that stand out to me. First, the Constellation Program, as envisioned by former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, is finished. Congress has made it absolutely clear that his plan to abandon the International Space Station in 2015 is a non-starter. NASA has been given clear direction to sustain the ISS through at least 2020. Indications are that we are likely to keep it running for as long as is safe.
Second, the debate has shifted from whether commercial space will have a role in our national space program at all to what the most appropriate plan for developing public-private partnerships will be. Even if we are only able to get modest reductions in launch costs, for example, through such partnerships, this will help NASA focus resources in its shift from an operationalized culture back to an exploratory culture.
The 2010 Authorization Act directs NASA to work on the following tasks over the next three years:
- A multi-purpose crew vehicle (likely derived from Constellation’s Orion)
- A Space Launch System for exploration missions Beyond Earth Orbit
- Exploration Technology Development, Human Research, Commercial Cargo, Commercial Crew, and Robotic Precursor Studies & Missions
- ISS continuation
- A successful run-out of the Shuttle program
- A NASA infrastructure modernization program
While top-level funding totaling between $19 and $20 billion annually is described for each line item, the real money won’t be laid out until the appropriations bill comes. That’s not likely to happen until after the next Congress takes office. Until then, NASA will be operating under a Continuing Resolution which keeps the agency at 2010 funding levels and direction.
Where the Authorization Act is important is in the policies, goals, and objectives it lays out for NASA – particularly with regards to human space flight. Given that this Act passed unanimously in the Senate and with easily more than a 2/3rds majority in the House, it is unlikely that we will see a change in this guidance for NASA, even if the appropriations law moves around some of the pie pieces.
First, the Act states that the long-term goal of NASA’s human space flight and exploration efforts is to establish and expand a permanent human presence beyond Low Earth Orbit and to involve our international partners where it is practical to do so.
Second, the Act states that NASA’s objectives in human space flight are to fully utilize the ISS (both as a National Laboratory and a proving ground for living in space), to assist and enable the expansion of commercial presence in LEO, to lay the foundation for sustainable economic activities in space, to identify potential space resources, to figure out how to live in space with “decreasing reliance on Earth,” to maximize the contributions of space exploration to our knowledge base, and to build mutually beneficial international partnerships in the pursuit of those goals.
In terms of policy, the Act requires NASA commission the National Academies in 2012 conduct a review of the “goals, core capabilities, and direction of human space flight.” This is one of the least discussed, but, perhaps, most important aspects of the 2010 Authorization Act.
The NASA science community is guided by a process called the Decadal Survey. The National Research Council helps NASA identify and prioritize its science objectives and assess the missions required to meet those objectives. This serves as a check and balance on mission creep and provides the Science Mission Directorate with guidance that survives beyond the political process.
Until now, human space exploration had no such process for providing policy and program guidance based on outside technical analysis. Our work has been entirely subject to the vagaries of the ever-shifting political winds. The 2010 Authorization Act explicitly calls for the National Academies to provide such a service for NASA human space flight, as their report will give findings and recommendations for the 10 years following the three covered in the Authorization Act.
Despite what you might read in some blogs, the Moon is not dead as a potential destination, either. The Authorization Act explicitly states that the “regions of cis-lunar space,” including the lunar surface, should be included in space infrastructure development and that international partnerships in these endeavors will help address national security and economic concerns.
To provide the best value to the taxpayer, NASA is directed to take a “pay as you go” approach and size its crew and launch systems to the minimum necessary to conduct cis-lunar missions. Missions to other destinations, such as asteroids or Mars, would be based on these technologies.
120 days from the enactment of the Act, NASA is required to present to Congress an assessment of any effort to expand or strengthen international collaboration on the ISS and any efforts in defining near-term cis-lunar missions. These reports will be assumed to contribute to the development of the multi-purpose crew vehicle, the Space Launch System, and any other space technology the NASA Administrator deems appropriate.
While much has been reported about the Senate supposedly micro-managing the design of the Space Launch System, Section 302 (which covers SLS) is replete with caveats that give the NASA Administrator discretion on technical elements. This suggests to me that Congress may be amenable if NASA runs the numbers and stands its ground if they’re asked to do something that doesn’t make sense.
The concern is that Congress wants the Space Launch System to be at initial operating capability by the end of 2016. Under the existing funding profile, the Constellation Program’s Ares I rocket was not expected to be ready by that time and it was an arguably less capable booster than what Congress is asking for.
The only way NASA can accomplish this feat is if they have the technical and programmatic flexibility to develop a booster configuration that meets the schedule and budget constraints. If this turns out to just not be possible, NASA needs to be able to speak out without fear of political repurcussion.
The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, based on what has been learned from the Orion project, is also expected to be ready to enter service no later than the Space Launch System. While a dedicated, versatile exploration vehicle that can operate in conjunction with mission-specific modules would be a tremendous asset to NASA, the concern for this project is much the same as with the Space Launch System. It’s not yet clear that NASA can meet the schedule within the budget expected.
Section 307 is also important because it establishes as a matter of policy that NASA should have a healthy balance between operational capabilities and advanced technology development. The NASA Administrator is authorized to make investments in such R&D because of the potential for transforming the human space flight enterprise.
The question now is how soon the appropriations will be given out and how closely those will follow the guidance given in the Authorization Act. While some appropriations committee members have indicated they will defer to the Authorization Act, other Representatives and Senators who were unhappy with the Authorization Act have said they will fight to get changes made at the budget end.
NASA now has the task of making assessments and beginning initial planning for how it will carry out the direction given by Congress and the President to establish permanent human presence Beyond Earth Orbit, make the most possible utilization of the International Space Station, continue its leadership in basic science and aeronautics research, and research revolutionary technologies that could transform our world or protect it from harm.
We’re not out of the woods yet, but it’s a place to start on the long road ahead.
"Full docket text: Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Halil S. Ozerden: Sentencing held on 9/27/2010, for Liam Sarsfield. Court sustained in part and overruled in part Defendant's objections to PSR. Remaining objections to PSR rendered moot based upon agreement of the parties. Court granted Government's 5K1.1 Motion for Downward Departure. Count 1: Defendant sentenced to 3 years probation; $5,000.00 fine; restitution of $87,752.55 to NASA; and $100 special assessment. Presentence Report filed under seal. Government's Exhibits G-1 and G-2 admitted into evidence. Appearances: AUSA's Alyssa D. Farrell, Jerry L. Rushing, for the Government; Peter H. Barrett, Amanda B. Barbour, James B. Tucker, and William C. Barrett, Retained, for Defendant; USPO's Patrick Williams and Robyn Gulledge; DUSM Charles Kaes; CSO Stanley Vance."
Keith's note: So, this creep Sarsfield betrays the significant trust placed in him at the agency, sells out that trust for money, gets caught, sells out his friends by cooperating, and all he has to do is pay back the money he diverted to himself with a $5,100 fine? That's less than 6% interest. This is about as painful as paying off a home equity loan.
