UN marks contributions by women to human space flight

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New York, June 14 : The United Nations Thursday commemorated the first space flight by a woman over 50 years ago and the contributions by women to that endeavour since then, hailing these "trailblazers" as powerful role models for young women and men worldwide.

It was on 16 June 1963 that cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly into outer space aboard the Vostok-6 spacecraft, making history in a 70-hour flight during which she orbited the Earth 48 times.

"This milestone heralded the beginning of the contribution by women to human space flight," Mazlan Othman, Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), said at a news conference in Vienna to mark 50 years of Women in Space.

Since then, Othman said, nearly 60 women from Canada, China, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States have gone into space, "many of them trailblazers like Tereshkova; all of them powerful role models for young women and men who follow in their steps."

Joining Tereshkova at the event were Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in outer space; Chiaki Mukai, the first female Japanese astronaut; and Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman taikonaut.

Noting other milestones, Othman said that 18 June will mark the 30th anniversary of the first US woman in space, Sally Ride. In 1984, Svetlana Savitskaya conducted the first spacewalk by a woman. Sunita Williams, commander of Expedition 33 in 2012, holds the record for the longest single space flight by a woman.

Women astronauts have also served as the Mission Commander for both Space Shuttle and Space Station missions. In 2007, Peggy Whitson became the first female commander of the International Space Station.

"These are just a few accomplishments," said Othman. "And for every woman that has flown into space there are hundreds serving on the ground in almost every sector of space activities."

Speaking at a panel held Wednesday by the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), Tereshkova encouraged more women to take part in space programmes. "A bird cannot fly with one wing only. Human space flight cannot develop any further without the active participation of women," she stressed.

"More women should actively participate in space flight. There are many well educated women working in the space industry, they are very good candidates," she added at Thursday's news conference.

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UN marks contributions by women to human space flight

NASA Goes ‘Green’: Next Spacecraft to Be Reusable

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This story was updated on June 14 at 10:10 a.m. EDT.

Since the space shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian rockets to launch its astronauts to space. But the United States plans to have its own homemade spacecraft again soon. Called the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle, the new vehicle will be able to carry astronauts to Earth orbit, to the moon, asteroids, and eventually to Mars.

Though it looks similar to the gumdrop shape of the Apollo moon-bound capsules, the Orion spacecraft is a whole new machine. Unlike the old capsules, Orion set to make its first test flight in 2014 can be reused.

The Orion capsule consists of three basic sections: a crew module, a service module, and a launch abort system. A powerful new rocket, called the Space Launch System, will be used to launch Orion into space. It's the crew module section, in particular, that can be recycled for multiple spaceflights. [Infographic: The Orion Capsule Explained]

Making a spacecraft reusable is not an easy feat. Since the Apollo 11 first moon landing mission, many manned space capsules have achieved a safe return to Earth by landing in the ocean.

Though ocean landings are easier from an engineering standpoint the descending capsule doesn't need to slow down as much for a water impact, and there's no need for airbags or other cushioning devices ocean landings are also expensive, as the salt water often ruins the spacecraft's electronics.

A refurbish-able Orion means the spacecraft will be cheaper to operate over the long term.

Lockheed Martin, NASA's lead contractor on the Orion project, originally looked into enabling the craft's crew module to set down on dry land by outfitting it with heavy drag parachutes, reverse thrusters, and airbags. But simulations revealed that the necessary equipment would add approximately 1,400 lbs (635 kilograms) of extra weight to the crew module, making the vessel far too heavy.

So for the first few flights, at least, Orion's crew module will make water landings.

This poses a problem, as one of the ways Lockheed Martin is making Orion reusable is by placing the majority of its valuable electronics and computers in the crew capsule, the only part of Orion that returns to Earth. This design greatly reduces the amount of hardware and software that needs to be replaced for each flight, but it leaves the question how to protect these valuable components from the corrosive effects of salt water?

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NASA Goes 'Green': Next Spacecraft to Be Reusable

NASA Invites Media to Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

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Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials will discuss the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid June 18.

They also will outline engagement opportunities for industry, international partners and the general public at the event, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT in the James Webb Auditorium of NASA Headquarters at 300 E St. SW in Washington.

Media representatives are invited to attend. Garver and Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot will be available to answer reporters' questions immediately after the meeting.

In addition to Garver and Lightfoot, mission directorate associate administrators William Gerstenmaier, John Grunsfeld, and Michael Gazarik will give an overview of the work being done on NASA's asteroid mission. Jason Kessler, representing the agency's chief technologist, will talk about how NASA plans to increase partnerships and citizen science participation in NASA's effort to find and plan for all asteroid threats.

The event will be webcast live at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-hq

For more information about NASA's asteroid initiative, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/asteroidinitiative

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NASA Invites Media to Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA’s Webb telescope’s final backbone element finished

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GREENBELT, Md., June 14 (UPI) -- A fixture similar to a backbone that will connect elements of the James Webb Space Telescope has been completed, the U.S. space administration said Friday

The backplane support frame will bring together Webb's center section and wings, secondary mirror support structure, aft optics system and integrated science instrument module, NASA said Friday in a release.

It also will keep the light path aligned inside the telescope during science observations, NASA said.

The frame, measuring 11.5 feet by 9.1 feet by 23.6 feet and weighing 1,102 pounds, is the final segment needed to complete the primary mirror backplane support structure. It will support the observatory's weight during launch and hold its 21-foot-diameter primary mirror virtually still while the Webb observes deep space, NASA said.

"Fabricating and assembling the backplane support frame of this size and stability is a significant technological step as it is one of the largest cryogenic composite structures ever built," said Lee Feinberg, James Webb Space Telescope optical telescope element manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

ATK of Magna, Utah, finished fabrication under the direction of the observatory's builder, Northrop Grumman Corp.

The assembled primary backplane support structure and backplane support frame will undergo extreme cryogenic thermal testing later this year. They will undergo structural static testing at Northrop Grumman's facilities in Redondo Beach, Calif., in 2014, before being combined with the wing assemblies.

The James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, will be the most powerful space telescope built and has a 2018 launch date. The Webb telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

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NASA's Webb telescope's final backbone element finished

NASA Seeks Partners to Reach New Audiences About The Future of Space and Aeronautics

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NASA ANNOUNCEMENT: SEEKING PARTNERS TO COLLABORATE WITH NASA TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES IN INNOVATIVE WAYS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF U.S. SPACE ACTIVITIES AND AERONAUTICS

Synopsis - Jun 13, 2013

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNH13OCOM001O Posted Date: Jun 13, 2013 FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jun 13, 2013 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Jun 30, 2014 Current Response Date: Jun 30, 2014 Classification Code: R -- Professional, administrative, and mgmt support services NAICS Code: 541611

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

Description

The NASA Vision To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind.

1. Statement of Purpose The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Office of Communications, seeks Partners for non-reimbursable (no exchange of funds) collaborations with organizations to reach the widest audience possible regarding the future of U.S. space and aeronautics activities as well as how to actively engage public participation.

These collaborations would be designed to create and disseminate an innovative and forward-thinking product, service, activity, or series of events that will inform and engage the public of the robust future of U.S. space and aeronautics activities. In addition, the collaboration would involve strategically communicating that product, service, activity, strategic communication plan or series of events to the widest reach of the proposed targeted audience.

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NASA Seeks Partners to Reach New Audiences About The Future of Space and Aeronautics

NASA satellites capture the moon passing the sun

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Two or three times a year, NASA's orbiting Solar Dynamics Observatory observes the moon travelling across the sun - but the images show the moon as a black shadow.

Two NASA technicians used data from another NASA satellite, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, to show the surface of the moon as it passed the sun.

The technicians used six billion measurements of the moon to ensure it was in the correct position - so while the image has been made digitally, it's totally accurate, and composed of photographs.

The moon's crisp horizon can be seen against the sun, as the moon has no atmosphere. (At other times of the year, when Earth blocks SDO's view, the Earth's horizon looks fuzzy due to its atmosphere.)

[Related: Moons, not planets, could be best place to look for ET]

The crisp edge of the moon in the SDO images inspired two NASA visualisers to overlay a 3-dimensional model of the moon over the image.

Such a task is fairly tricky, as Scott Wiessinger who works with SDO imagery and Ernie Wright who works with LRO imagery had to precisely match up data from the correct time and viewpoint for the two separate instruments.The end result is an awe-inspiring image

To start the process, the visualizers took the viewing position and time from the SDO image. This information was dropped into an LRO model that can produce the exact view of the moon from anywhere, at any time, by incorporating 6 billion individual measurements of the moon's surface height from LRO's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument.

The model had to take many factors into consideration, including not only SDO's distance and viewing angle, but also the moon's rotation and constant motion. Wright used animation software to wrap the elevation and appearance map around a sphere to simulate the moon.

The two images were put together and the overlay was exact. The mountains and valleys on the horizon of the LRO picture fit right into the shadows seen by SDO.

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NASA satellites capture the moon passing the sun

NASA Seeks Innovative Suborbital Flight Technology Proposals

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For a second year, NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate is seeking proposals for suborbital technology payloads and spacecraft capability enhancements that could help revolutionize future space missions.

Selected technologies will travel to the edge of space and back on U.S. commercial suborbital vehicles and platforms, providing opportunities for testing before they are sent to work in the unforgiving environment of space.

The Game Changing Opportunities in Technology Development research announcement seeks proposals for technology payloads, vehicle enhancements, onboard facilities and small spacecraft propulsion technologies that will help the agency advance technology development in the areas of exploration, space operations and other innovative technology areas relevant to NASA's missions. NASA's Flight Opportunities Program is sponsoring the solicitation and expects proposals from entrepreneurs, scientists, technologists, instrument builders, research managers, and vehicle builders and operators. This year, NASA has included a topic on small spacecraft propulsion technologies from the agency's Small Spacecraft Technology Program.

"Investing in transformative technology development is critical to enable NASA's future missions and benefits the greater American aerospace community," said James Reuther, deputy associate administrator for programs in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. "NASA Space Tech's Game Changing Development and Flight Opportunities Programs are working with our partners from America's emerging suborbital flight community to foster frequent and predictable commercial access to near-space while allowing for cutting-edge technology development."

Following development, selected payloads will be made available to NASA's Flight Opportunities Program for pairing with appropriate commercial suborbital reusable launch service provider flights. In the case of small spacecraft propulsion technologies, there may be the potential for a direct orbital flight opportunity.

"This call will select innovators to develop novel technology payloads that will provide significant improvements over current state-of-the-art systems," said Stephen Gaddis, Game Changing Development Program manager at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.

Proposals are due June 17 and will be accepted from U.S. or non-U.S. organizations, including NASA centers, other government agencies, federally funded research and development centers, educational institutions, industry and nonprofit organizations.

NASA expects to make as many as 18 awards this summer with the majority of awards ranging in value between approximately $50,000 and $250,000 each. The total combined funding for this announcement is expected to be about $2 million, based on availability of funds.

The Game Changing Opportunities research announcement is available on NASA's Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System website: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/

Langley manages the Game Changing Development Program, and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., manages the Flight Opportunities Program for the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. For more information on the Game Changing Development activities and information on this solicitation for payloads, visit: http://go.usa.gov/RPS

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Ailing NASA Telescope Spots 503 New Alien Planet Candidates

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NASA's Kepler spacecraft has spotted 503 new potential alien worlds, some of which may be capable of supporting life as we know it.

"Some of these new planet candidates are small and some reside in the habitable zone of their stars, but much work remains to be done to verify these results," Kepler mission manager Roger Hunter, of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., wrote in an update last Friday (June 7).

The latest haul brings Kepler's tally of exoplanet candidates to 3,216. Just 132 of them have been confirmed by follow-up observations to date, but mission scientists expect at least 90 percent will end up being the real deal. [7 Greatest Kepler Discoveries (So Far)]

The new finds were pulled from observations Kepler made during its first three years of operation, from May 2009 to March 2012, researchers said. The telescope hasn't done any planet hunting since being hobbled by a failure in its orientation-maintaining system last month.

Uncertain future

The $600 million Kepler spacecraftlaunched in March 2009, kicking off a 3.5-year mission to determine how common Earth-like planets are throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

Kepler spots exoplanetsby detecting the tiny brightness dips caused when they pass in front of their stars' faces from the instrument's perspective. The observatory does this precision work by staying locked onto 150,000-plus target stars using three gyroscope-like devices called reaction wheels.

Kepler launched with four functioning reaction wheels three for immediate use and one spare. But one wheel, known as number two, failed in July 2012. And a second (number four) gave up the ghost last month, robbing the spacecraft of its precision pointing ability.

If at least one of the failed wheels cannot be recovered, Kepler's planet-hunting days are almost certainly over and a new mission will have to be drawn up for the spacecraft.

Engineers have identified a number of tests that could help gauge the likelihood of bringing back the balky wheels, Hunter said. They're currently developing these commands on the Kepler testbed at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colo., where the spacecraft was built.

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Ailing NASA Telescope Spots 503 New Alien Planet Candidates

Oakton grant furthers nanotechnology initiative

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BY MIKE ISAACS | misaacs@pioneerlocal.com June 13, 2013 6:16PM

Only weeks after Oakton Community College completed its first pilot program teaching students the cutting-edge science of nanotechnology, the community college has received a new grant to further its mission.

The National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency charged with furthering the progress of science, awarded Oakton a $374,279 grant in support of its nanotechnology initiative.

The funds more specifically are to be used to introduce community college and high school students throughout the state to nanotechnology and potential careers in the emerging field.

Oakton this past school year began teaching nanotechnology with about a dozen students using 3,000 square feet of designated lab space at the Illinois Science + Technology Park.

Oakton is part of NE3I, or the Nanotechnology Employment, Education, and Economic Development Initiative, a jointly-supported program. It also includes the Village of Skokie; Forest City Enterprises, Inc., which owns and operates the park; and the North Suburban Educational Region for Vocation Education, a career and technical education consortium consisting of nine high schools in Chicagos northern suburbs.

It took two years to get funding for the program, which will expand to high school students next year, officials said.

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Increasingly common in the computer, energy, biotech, and transportation fields, it can improve many processes, tools, or pieces of equipment by reducing size and increasing efficiency and by vastly increasing information stored on computer chips and other storage devices.

The technology speeds up any computer-based application with potential to help doctors target specific cancerous cells for chemotherapy treatment, eliminate future damage to healthy cells nearby, and produce more efficient and powerful batteries and solar cells.

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Oakton grant furthers nanotechnology initiative

Nanotechnology highlights business luncheon

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Residents of the Mohawk Valley should feel upbeat about the areas future.

That was the message Thursday at The Genesis Groups monthly luncheon, which took place at Hampton Inn and Suites at the New Hartford Business Park.

The group of about 75 people heard reports about the nanotechnology initiatives in Marcy, economic development efforts in Herkimer and the statewide Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

Mohawk Valley EDGE Economic development agencys Mark Reynolds briefed the group on progress at a site being marketed to nanotechnology manufacturers.

He said the $300 billion international nanotechnology industry continues to develop and shift.

It is insidious in terms of where it is in your daily life, Reynolds said. It is everywhere and it continues to grow.

If a chip fabrication plant can be netted for the Marcy site, it could bring as many as 2,300 jobs to the area and spark the growth of thousands more in support industries.

The preparation of the site has been held up by a decision by the Army Corps of Engineers that certain wetland mitigation cannot progress unless a tenant is found.

Reynolds said other work still can be done, such as road construction over wetlands that can be bridged without breaking the law.

Alicia Dicks of Ft. Schuyler Management Corp, which is involved with the SUNYIT nanotechnology endeavors, said developments there were progressing as planned, and that soon naysayers would be proven wrong.

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Nanotechnology highlights business luncheon