Crew Lifts Off From Kazakhstan to Begin Science and Construction Work Aboard the International Space Station, NASA (with video)

"NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi safely launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on Sunday. Liftoff occurred at 3:52 p.m. CST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan."

Keith's note: This Week in Space With Miles O'Brien is now online. Leroy Chiao, Ken Bowersox, and Mike Griffin are guests.

Report that Obama decided on space policy may be premature , Orlando Sentinel

"A report by a respected science publication that said President Barack Obama has decided on a new space policy for NASA may be premature, according to Write Stuff sources. The report, which was posted Thursday night on the "Science Insider" blog at the web site of the journal Science, quoted unnamed sources saying that in a meeting on Wednesday with NASA chief Charlie Bolden, the president decided to add an extra $1 billion to NASA's budget."

Keith's note: It would seem that Science Magazine jumped the gun a bit. As is the case with the Orlando Sentinel, NASA Watch sources report that the story published in Science is incomplete and, in some cases, is just plain wrong. Specifically it asserts that a final decision has been made as to what NASA will be told to do. That is not the case. But it is likely that NASA will be getting a budget bump of upwards of $1 billion.

After last week's Obama/Bolden meeting, NASA is on the hook from White House to provide additional information between now and January to be factored into the final decision making process. Among other things, these decisions include the fate of Ares 1 and the new path that may be chosen regarding launch vehicle utilization and development. Moreover, sources report that the impetus for this "leak" was someone in or around the White House - someone who is not necessarily all that thrilled with certain options that are on the table. So, in classic Washington style, they leaked someone else's potentially good news - but did so early - and the results were counterproductive.

You can be certain that neither the White House or the 9th Floor at NASA HQ are remotely thrilled that this stuff is leaking out this soon given that some final number and policy crunching needs to be done. Having to bat down stories - accurate and inaccurate - serves only to distract them from that process. Given that there is lingering concern in some quarters about NASA's capabilities, seeing this stuff dribble out - regardless of the source(s) works against the agency as it strives to make its case to President Obama.

That said, having a high profile meeting at the White House just before Christmas and then expecting everyone to stay silent until the FY 2011 budget comes out in February is unrealistic - and somewhat naive in this day and age since no one can keep their mouth shut any more.

As always, stay tuned.

South Korean Space Center Selects XCOR's Lynx for Suborbital Operations, XCOR

"The Yecheon Astro Space Center announced today that it has selected XCOR Aerospace as its preferred supplier of suborbital space launch services. Operating under a wet lease model, XCOR intends to supply services to the Center using the Lynx Mark II suborbital vehicle, pending United States government approvals to station the vehicle in the Republic of Korea."

Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget, Science Insider

"President Barack Obama will ask Congress next year to fund a new heavy-lift launcher to take humans to the Moon, asteroids, and the moons of Mars, ScienceInsider has learned. The president chose the new direction for the U.S. human space flight program Wednesday at a White House meeting with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, according to officials familiar with the discussion. NASA would receive an additional $1 billion in 2011 both to get the new launcher on track and to bolster the agency's fleet of robotic Earth-monitoring spacecraft."

Obama meeting with NASA chief yields few details so far, Orlando Sentinel

"Among the things Bolden told lawmakers and Congressional staff was that the White House was now favoring a $1 billion top line increase to NASA's budget in 2011. This would be far better than the 5 percent cut that all agencies, including NASA, were asked by the White House to prepare, but difficult to secure given the deficit-cutting mindset in Congress now."

Editor's note: I just saw Avatar in IMAX 3D. It is simply stunning, utterly convincing, and profoundly immersive. You must see it. This is not a "movie". It is something much more - a paradigm shifter to be certain.

This is a great video that @joelwalker found today. The Known Universe takes you for a tour of our universe, from the Himalayas through the atmosphere to the edge of the known universe. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world’s most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010.

Keith's note: In a few short days we will have used up 10% of the 21st Century.

When I was growing up in the 1960s and 70s, this was supposed to be a magical time - one where all manner of incredible things would be possible - even routine. In some ways it has been - witness the extrasolar planet discoveries of late. Yet in other areas NASA still flies a space shuttle that was designed more than a generation ago - and NASA is now struggling to replace it.

With regard to space exploration and utilization, have we wasted this decade? What has been done right? What has been done wrong? While NASA is not (and should not) be the only game in town when it comes to space, what should the President direct NASA to do in the decade ahead? Moreover, what should he direct NASA not to do?

Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation Public Meeting, FAA

"New COE for Commercial Space Transportation Public Meeting - February 9, 2010 The FAA Administrator has concurred with the request to establish a new Center of Excellence (COE) for Commercial Space Transportation (CST) in 2010. On February 9 a public meeting will be held in Washington DC to discuss the FAA COE Program and CST technical requirements. A COE Draft Solicitation will be available for public review prior to the meeting."

NASA Names New Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration

"Laurie Leshin has been named the new deputy associate administrator of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, effective in January. Leshin previously served as the deputy center director for science and technology at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. She has led the formulation of strategy and the start of new missions since 2008 as Goddard's senior scientist, while providing extensive scientific guidance to lunar architecture and other human spaceflight planning activities."

Avatar's Moon Pandora Could Be Real, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

"In the new blockbuster Avatar, humans visit the habitable - and inhabited - alien moon called Pandora. Life-bearing moons like Pandora or the Star Wars forest moon of Endor are a staple of science fiction. With NASA's Kepler mission showing the potential to detect Earth-sized objects, habitable moons may soon become science fact."

Characterizing Habitable Exo-Moons, astro-ph

"We discuss the possibility of screening the atmosphere of exomoons for habitability. We concentrate on Earth-like satellites of extrasolar giant planets (EGP) which orbit in the Habitable Zone of their host stars."

Waterworld Discovered Transiting a Nearby Star, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

"Astronomers have announced that they have discovered a "super-Earth" orbiting a red dwarf star only 40 light-years from Earth. They found this nearby planet with a small fleet of ground-based telescopes no larger than those many amateur astronomers have in their backyards. Although the super-Earth is too hot to sustain life, the discovery shows that current, ground-based technologies are capable of finding almost-Earth-sized planets in warm, life-friendly orbits."

Sun's Glint Reveals Lakes on Titan, JPL

"NASA's Cassini spacecraft has captured the first flash of sunlight reflected off a lake on Saturn's moon Titan, confirming the presence of liquid on the part of the moon dotted with many large, lake-shaped basins."

Fog on Titan, Caltech

"Saturn's largest moon, Titan, looks to be the only place in the solar system--aside from our home planet, Earth--with copious quantities of liquid (largely, liquid methane and ethane) sitting on its surface. According to planetary astronomer Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Earth and Titan share yet another feature, which is inextricably linked with that surface liquid: common fog."

NASA Internal Email: Agency Planned IT Outage Starts December 18

"Benefits: Enhanced network management, accessibility, and system performance

Services Affected: This notification covers the NASA Data Center Network Upgrade and
activities performed by the NEACC."

Rep. Parker Griffith to speak with Marshall Space Flight Center employees Friday, Huntsville Times

"Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, is slated to discuss NASA's future Friday in an "all-hands" meeting to be held at Marshall Space Flight Center's auditorium in the headquarters building 4200."

Keith's 15 Dec note: Charles Bolden is scheduled to meet with President Obama at the White House in the oval office on Wednesday at 3:05 pm EST. The topic for discussion is the Augustine Commission's findings and their "non-recommendation recommendations".

Keith's 16 Dec update: Don't look for a flurry of press releases, etc. coming from this meeting today. Alas, while many at NASA HQ (and the White House) would prefer that all the details of NASA's new White House direction stay under wraps until the FY 2011 budget comes out in Feb. 2010, it is almost a certainty that things will start dribbling out soon. Stay tuned.

Keith's 16 Dec update: The following brief exchange happened during a routine White House press briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:

"Question: The President met with the NASA Administrator today to talk about the Constellation program. Are the two in agreement now on about what to do with that program going forward? Has a decision --

Robert Gibbs: I have not gotten a read out from the meeting. But we're trying to see what has come of their discussions. I don't know that we'll have a ton on this today. Obviously, the budget is being put together for next year. I know the most previous budget that was passed represented an increase in spending for NASA - and the President believes that NASA plays a vital role going forward.

Question: Has that decision been reached yet? Were the two [of them] were talking about it? Prior to the meeting, has the decision about Constellation --

Robert Gibbs: Let me get a readout from the meeting before I --"

Obama, NASA chief talk about goals, panel's options, Huntsville Times

"Administrator Bolden met this afternoon with President Obama in the Oval Office," [NASA Associate Administrator Morrie] Goodman said in an e-mail. "The two discussed the Augustine Commission's study and analysis of the existing space program, which highlighted challenges. They also discussed options for how the country might improve its future human spaceflight activities. "The president re-confirmed his commitment to human spaceflight and space exploration as well as his goal of ensuring that the nation is on a sustainable path to achieving our aspirations in space."

NASA Solicitation: Open Source Software to Support Projects at MSFC

"Arcata Associates Inc. plans to issue a Sole Source Request for Quote (RFQ) for Open Source Software to be used at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)."

Keith's note: Charles Bolden is scheduled to meet with President Obama at the White House in the oval office on Wednesday at 3:05 pm EST. The topic for discussion is the Augustine Commission's findings and their "non-recommendation recommendations".

The fact that White House is doing this before the holidays all but assures that the details will be out in the next week or so - one way or another.

So ... what do you think the President will decide?

Keith's note: All of NASA's field center directors met today in a closed door session in one of the Administrator's Conference Rooms on the 9th floor of NASA HQ. In addition to all of the center directors who were seated around the table, a dozen or so staffers stood around the periphery of the room. Their collective task was to work out and then agree upon a new governance structure for the agency - one that would best implement the new (revised) direction that the White House is providing to NASA. There are apparently 5 or so specific areas that the agency will be re-organizing itself to implement. As such, there may be a recasting of the "directorate" model in favor of "divisions". All of the participants were sworn to secrecy and were not going to be leaving the room until a new governance model was agreed to.

What did they decide upon? Stay tuned.

Dynetics Announces Purchase of Orion Propulsion

"David King, executive vice president of Dynetics, added, "Tim Pickens is one of the most creative, energetic and 'lean thinking' propulsion experts in the United States. He is well known in the local and national space communities. We are excited to bring Tim on board - along with Mark Fisher, who has 20 years of experience in NASA, DoD (Department of Defense) and commercial propulsion and management - as well as the rest of the OPI team."