Open Government Community Summit hosted by NASA

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NASA will host an Open Government Community Summit on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 from 9pm – 12:30pm at NASA HQ. The Open Government Community Summit Series is an inter-agency collaborative event hosted by a different agency each month, facilitated by the Open Forum Foundation. The September workshop was hosted by the EPA and the November workshop will be hosted by the OPM. Previous summits and workshops have been hosted by the Department of Transportation, the General Services Administration, the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Department of Treasury.

NASA has a solid schedule planned with a heavy emphasis on remote participation for those that cannot attend in person. The first hour will include presentations from leaders in the Open Government Community as well as remarks from Astronaut Jose Hernandez. The presentations will be streamed on NASA TV and will begin at 9am and conclude at 10am. Afterwards, the participants will move into the collaborative workshop which will take place at NASA HQ and online. Due to the availability of live streaming and Internet access, this will be our most collaborative workshop so far. Registration is required to receive all the information regarding the event, so if you have not registered, do so today!

The focus of the collaborative workship is on agency’s use of open data and the future of the open government community. This summit will provide an opportunity for us to also document the challenges to open government that span multiple agencies, and to take concrete steps toward overcoming them. To be clear, this is not a discussion about NASA’s Open Government Plan, rather its an opportunity for the OpenGov community to spend the day working together on common OpenGov topics.

RSVP: http://october-opengov-workshop.eventbrite.com

“This is the best day of my life!”

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Earlier this week, in a conversation with a friend, I mentioned that I had offered a friend a tour of Johnson Space Center. She told me that she had just given some family friends a tour of our facilities, and we commented on how sharing our work with our friends and family is one of the most enjoyable aspects of our job. She ended the conversation with something that I’ve been thinking for many months now: “I think doing these types of things should be a part of our job.”

Several months ago, I stood before a tent full of space enthusiasts, some odd one hundred and fifty of them, relating my experiences with training the crew of STS-132. The participants of the STS-132 NASA Tweetup came from all walks of life: in and outside of NASA, engineers, scientists, artists, journalists, students (you name it, and it was quite possible they were there) – all bound by one common thread: their passion for human spaceflight.

As NASA shared its story with them, I witnessed two transformations:

One, within the minds and hearts of those Tweetup participants, as most saw first-hand what, to put it simply, NASA was all about…all of whom (perhaps I’m being a bit presumptuous) were awed by the beauty of one of mankind’s technologically marvelous creations;

And two, within my own self, as I reveled in the power of sharing and communicating – not just a story, but an experience; not just words, but feelings.

I found in subsequent weeks an ignited passion, a compelling desire to relate not only the awe-inspiring adventures I’ve found myself fortunately a part of over the years, but the tale of the organization that made those very adventures possible. I realized the importance and power of imparting (or attempting to, anyhow) in others the same passion, vigor, excitement, marvel in space exploration that I experienced the first time I saw Mission Control; the first time I went diving in the largest pool in the world; the first time I flew on the “Vomit Comet” (definitely NOT a misnomer, as folks on my flights will attest!); the first time I sat at a console, supporting real-time operations onboard the ISS (you know, SPACE!); the first time I saw a shuttle launch…really, the list could go on.

In the days following, it occurred to me, as I sat in a backroom in the bowels of Mission Control, reeling from an adrenaline-inducing event like a shuttle launch, seeing my crew on-orbit: I, too, have a duty, a sort of unspoken, undirected oath, to share not just my experiences and my stories, but those of NASA.

With the advent of social media, private industry and government alike have been given the power to communicate its message, its purpose, its vision, with the general public in a much quicker, more efficient format. NASA has embraced this new medium with open arms, using it to not just broadcast information out, but to engage and interact. Likewise, these outlets and services have allowed many within the agency to also share their perspectives with those very people, weaving a rich and personal tapestry of stories and experiences that humanize the agency like never before. From astronauts to engineers, scientists to mascots (@Camilla_SDO – I’m looking at you!), NASA has successfully leveraged a mechanism for interaction with the general public like no other organization.

Since…

I first saw Twitter feeds light up with questions to and answers from astronaut TJ Creamer (@Astro_TJ) & the excitement that his crewmate Soichi Noguchi’s (@Astro_Soichi) “space pictures” caused around the world,

I gave Camilla Corona (@Camilla_SDO), whose exploits are followed by many on the Internet, a tour of the NBL – and she tweeted about it,

I saw the passion with which astronaut Ron Garan (@Astro_Ron) spoke of his experiences in human spaceflight and the impact he hopes to have on the world on his website, Fragile Oasis (http://www.fragileoasis.org),

I watched as people’s faces lit up when they first met one of Twitter’s biggest proponents at NASA, the lovely Beth Beck (@bethbeck), who’s made it her job to share NASA with everyone,

I’ve seen the value of adding human faces to all of the incredible things that we do. And with this enlightening perspective, I’ve come to realize that it is no longer solely NASA’s responsibility to communicate with the world. As employees, we are ambassadors for the organization for which we all have such passion and reverence. It is our duty to share NASA with those around us, to share the sense of wonder and awe with which we came to realize our dreams. In such changing, often uncertain times, more so than any other, we must appreciate the importance and impact of humanizing a very incredible, beautiful, but risky endeavor – sustaining human presence off of the planet Earth.

And so, if with the above, for any reason, I’ve been unable to convey how incredibly imperative I feel this engagement is, I leave you with the following anecdote:

The same friend I mentioned earlier in this post related to me a story from the tour she gave to her family friends, whose children are 9 and 11, of our ISS mockup training facility. As they came upon the prototype of a rover the little 9-year-old had seen on TV, he grabbed my friend’s hand and said,

“This is the best day of my life!”

As she shared that moment with me, I couldn’t help but think that perhaps that child’s life was changed forever. Perhaps in that opportunity, he discovered a passion and interest he never knew existed…all because of the simple act of sharing an experience, a perspective, an opportunity we all, as employees, are fortunate enough to have.

And so, I challenge those who are reading, who have the privilege to be a part of human spaceflight, in whatever capacity, to inspire such a reaction from just one person in your life.

Share a story, give a tour, volunteer at an outreach event…communicate not just your drive and passion for human spaceflight, but NASA’s message and vision. We are the best advocates for the value of space exploration, not just in our lives, but those around us.

And those of you who know of people who work in the human spaceflight industry, I encourage you to ask your friends and family to share their life’s work with you.

Perhaps together, by simply sharing – a tenet of our younger years, we could very well see a surge in public interest in something so many of us hold so near and dear to our hearts.

An overview of NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies

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If you haven’t heard about NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS, for short), I encourage you to follow along over the next few weeks as astronauts, scientists and engineers meet in the Arizona desert to demonstrate the latest in NASA technology development research and plan for future missions to the surface of the Moon, Mars and other rocky bodies.  Desert RATS began in 1998, and today is one of the many cool things NASA is doing.  This year, four crew members will live in two rovers from Aug. 31 through Sept. 15 to demonstrate the use of a number of interesting technologies, including:

  • Space Exploration Vehicles (PDF) – a pair of rovers that astronauts will live in for 7 days at a time
  • Habitat Demonstration Unit/Pressurized Excursion Module (PDF) – a simulated habitat where the rovers can dock to allow the crew room to perform experiments or deal with medical issues. The Habitat Development Unit will be used to evaluate the geosciences laboratory in conjunction with the sample collections and to assess the spacesuit maintenance area inside. This team will also focus on procedures for keeping out the dust, the effects on the overall integrated communications and data system and how easy the habitat is for people to use.
  • Tri-ATHLETEs, or -Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (PDF) – two heavy-lift rover platforms that allow the habitat, or other large items, to go where the action is portable communications terminals. The ATHLETE System, which consists of a pair of Tri-ATHLETE rovers, will be remotely controlled both in Arizona and from Houston to demonstrate long-traverse operations during lunar time delays and portable local operations from the personnel in Arizona.
  • Centaur 2 (PDF) – a possible four-wheeled transportation method for NASA Robonaut 2
  • Portable Utility Pallets, or PUPs for short – mobile charging stations for equipment
  • Navigation systems to help guide spacewalkers and both solar and wind-powered equipment, will be demonstrated and tested.
  • And a suite of new geology sample collection tools, including a self-contained GeoLab glove box for conducting in-field analysis of various collected rock samples.

For more information, follow the field season on the internet. Here’s how:

NASA Webpage: The official DRATS webpage is your one-stop shop for all activities occurring during the 14-day mission.

Blogs: The DRATS team shares their field experience on their website’s blog.

Flickr: The team is also posting photos daily!!

Facebook: Click “Like” for DRATS on Facebook. This page includes links, photos, comments/discussions from the DRATS team, students and interested citizens.

Twitter: The team is tweeting from @DESERT_RATS throughout the mission—these are brief communications to give a real-time status of the mission activities.

YouTube: Check out videos of this year’s mission on our NASAanalogTV site.

Bringing Change to our Largest Social Network

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Last spring, my former supervisor at NASA, Beth Beck, pointed me to a new scholarship competition that GovLoop (a social media network for government employees) was running. For my entry, I wrote an essay on my aspirations to break down the barriers in government through the use of technology and social networking. As it turns out, my essay has been selected as a finalist and is now up for voting. I’ve cross-posted it below. If you like it, please go over to GovLoop, check out some of the other finalists, and vote – I’d love your support!

Far too often, it seems that Americans have the perception of their government being a monolithic block, incapable of progress, change, or efficient functionality. While this may be true in some cases, it’s not something that should be allowed to continue. American government lacks the trust of its citizens, and the goal of getting it back should be our top priority.

Our government needs to be for the people. It needs to be open. It needs accountability. It needs to leverage technologies to enable citizens to participate and collaborate in the same way they do among their coworkers, friends, and family. By paving a road of information, ideas, and community between policymakers and everyday citizens, a new bond of trust can be formed, and fresh insight into our most troubling problems can be found. Our government, to an extent, has already begun to work on this challenge. Efforts such as Data.gov, the Open Government Directive, and increased citizen financial oversight have placed previously unavailable tools in the hands of the public. But what’s next? How do the tools made available get used by the average person who is likely to only use a .gov domain once a year when filing their taxes? How do the thousands of comments, criticisms, and questions flooding government inboxes everyday turn in to real, implementable solutions?

That’s the problem I want to work on. I’m fascinated by the intricate network of our government – the massive flow of information, people, and ideas that passes through a complex, and sometimes bizarre, system that runs our nation. It’s a network that is social by nature, but in most circumstances is virtually impossible to gain access to by an ordinary citizen. I want to work on breaking down the barriers that prevent the free flow of information to the people and on building the infrastructure to support their direct involvement in their governance. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to sample what a difficult challenge this is. As a Policy Studies and Economics dual major at Syracuse University, I’ve had the chance to spend the last semester living in Washington, D.C. and working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Some of my work has tackled these very issues, and I realize the huge challenges in making such change. As much as I’d love to jump in and get my hands dirty, I also need to go back to Syracuse in the fall to finish my degree and, most likely, obtain a graduate degree before pursuing a real career in the public sector. The CampusGov and GovLoop scholarship will enable me to continue my educational pursuits, in the hope that I can use the skills I gain to help bring positive change to a process that sorely needs it.

Click here to vote on GovLoop – my essay is #7

8 Keys to Creating and Building Lasting Enterprises

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One of the great things about new digital platforms like openNASA is that they allow us to easily connect, share, discover and expand our experiences.  This includes sharing with each other those experiences that inspire us and impact the way we see the world.  Today, I thought I’d share a talk I heard the last semester of my MBA experience at the University of Texas by one of America’s greatest entrepreneurs, Gary Hoover.  Hoover created Hoovers.com, the world’s largest Internet-based provider of information about enterprises and is also well know for essentially creating the big box bookstore we know today.  His pioneering venture, Bookstop, was eventually sold to Barnes & Noble and became a cornerstone for their industry-dominating superstore chain. Today, Hoover is the “Entrepreneur-in-Residence” at McCombs Business School and spends much of his time today sharing his experience about creating and building lasting enterprises and inspiring students to do the same.  I’ve included a picture I took this morning of the back of his business card, which summarizes his talk.  It’s a list of 8 key ideas on how to create successful business and is a list that he has refined throughout his career.  Hoover gives this talk regularly, in fact he’s shared this now over 700 times on every continent but Antarctica.  This is also the topic of a book he wrote in 2001, called “Hoover’s Vision: Original Thinking for Business Success.” The rest of this post includes the detailed list (as posted on Hoover’s personal website) and if you’d like to watch Hoover give this talk, I’ve posted links to his webinar and the slides as well.  My hope in sharing this with you today is to spread these great ideas further, challenge us all to think differently, and inspire us to continue to do things that amplify our impact and reach.

Hooversworld blog | Gary Hoover Webinar | Presentation Slides

Gary Hoovers 8 Keys to Creating and Building Lasting Enterprises

1. Curiosity — nothing is ever discovered by looking in the same place as everyone else, or looking in the same way as everyone else.  All discovery starts with exploration. Ask a lot of questions. Go beyond the first “why.” Study the mundane, the “everyday.” Travel, observe, talk to people. Read, go to concerts, try new things. Look at other industries. The answers are rarely where you expect to find them. Opportunities are everywhere.

2. History — you can’t know where you are going if you don’t know where you are coming from.  Watching key long-term trends is a critical part of successful leadership.  What are some of the trends to watch today? What large demographic shifts are at work? What can be learned from the leaders of the past, including those in your own industry and company?

3. Geography — we all come from somewhere, we all grew up somewhere.  In a shrinking world, it is more important than ever to understand people and places. Do you know the population of your metropolitan area? Do you know the growth rates of your county and surrounding counties? Do you know what is going on in countries around the world, which places are rising and falling and why? What are people leaving some places and moving to others?

(I believe the above three mindsets are the keys to dreaming up innovative new ideas that relate to the real needs of real people.  Once you have a mission in mind, the points below kick into gear.)

4. Clarity of Vision — can any third-grader understand your vision?  Or are you trapped in double-speak and buzzwords, an alphabet soup of acronyms, and jargon?

5. Consistency of Vision — do you stick to what you are good at and what you believe in, through thick and thin? Do you have a consistent purpose?

6. Service — the only valid reason for the existence of an enterprise is to deliver products and services to people, to somehow make the world a better place. The minute you think that power resides in the boardroom or in Washington, or that your company can be made great through making good deals or acquisitions, rather than through focusing on the customers, you are most likely at the beginning of the end. Serving others well must be the top priority – your other stakeholders including suppliers, community, investors, and employees will then have something to share.

7. Unique Vision — do you sound and look like all your competitors or do you stand out, following a unique path that is true to your enterprise and your soul? Differentiation is the key.

8. Passion — if you aren’t doing something you love, you will never be the best at it!


Bolden’s China Trip: Its His Idea, Not Obama’s (Update)

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Keith's 6 Oct. note: NASA Watch sources report that this upcoming trip to China and then Indonesia is Charlie Bolden's idea first and foremost. The White House did not ask him to go to either country - nor do they want him to go.  But he is going anyway.  The trip to Saudi Arabia was similarly unrequested and unsanctioned as far as the White House was concerned. This begs the question in the White House and elsewhere as to why Bolden is focusing his energy on foreign trips at a time when NASA's domestic support is sagging. Moreover, there is growing concern within the White House as to why Bolden is not getting the message that the White House has been sending to him. Bolden's recent gaffs in the Middle East and ethics issues with Marathon Oil haven't exactly helped his relationship with the White House.  Stay tuned.

Human Spaceflight on Agenda for Bolden's China Trip, Space News

"But it remains unclear whether Bolden is making his trip at the behest of the White House or on his own initiative. White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro declined to comment on Bolden's China visit and referred media queries to NASA. When asked about Bolden's trip NASA spokesman Michael Cabbage referred to last November's joint U.S.-China communique that calls for expanded discussions on human spaceflight cooperation. Cabbage said the trip "is being coordinated with all appropriate government agencies," even as a senior Republican lawmaker requested a security briefing on the visit before it happens."

U.S. Lawmaker Balks at NASA Chief's China Visit, space.com

"In an Oct. 5 letter to the NASA chief, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) said he strongly opposes any partnership with Beijing that involves human spaceflight, including efforts to involve China in the international space station. "I need not remind you that no such planning or coordination has been approved by the Congress," wrote Wolf, the ranking member on the House Appropriations commerce, justice, science subcommittee that oversees NASA spending. "In fact, several recent NASA authorization bills have explicitly sought to place strict limitations on coordination with China."

Keith's 9 Oct. update: That's rather odd. The White House is normaly much more forthcoming on commenting on matters such as this given that a senior government official such as Bolden is going to China (and Indonesia and Viet Nam). Unless, of course, as is the case with this trip, this is not their idea and they'd rather that he not go on the trip in the first place. Relations between the U.S. and China are rather frosty right now. As such, you don't really want someone prone to public gaffs making a highly visible trip with media dogging him the entire time. Stay tuned.

U.S. Lawmaker Balks at NASA Chief's China Visit, Space News

"NASA Administrator Charles Bolden's plan to visit China this month for high-level talks about possible cooperation on human spaceflight has prompted a senior Republican appropriator to request a security briefing on the trip before it happens. In an Oct. 5 letter to the NASA chief, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) said he strongly opposes any partnership with Beijing that involves human spaceflight, including efforts to involve China in the international space station."

10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects

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Make Magazine: 10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects

"MAKE blasts into orbit and beyond with our DIY SPACE issue. Put your own satellite in orbit, launch a stratosphere balloon probe, and analyze galaxies for $20 with an easy spectrograph! We talk to the rocket mavericks reinventing the space industry, and renegade NASA hackers making smartphone robots and Lego satellites. Of course, as usual, we've got a full payload of other cool DIY projects, from a helium-balloon camera that's better than Google Earth, to an electromagnetic levitator that shoots aluminum rings, to a simple stroboscope that takes the most amazing freeze-frame photos.

Plus: party-pleasing automated photo booth that prints out photo strips, MythBusters' Adam Savage teaches you hard-shell moldmaking, and much more. MAKE Volume 24, on sale October 26.

Short listing of articles: ..."

NASA Open Government Community Summit

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"The Open Government Community Summit Series is an inter-agency collaborative event hosted by a different agency each month. Several working groups have formed out of previous workshops, and the focus for the final two workshops of 2010 is to actually build-- not just talk about-- the infrastructure (i.e. collective knowledge resources and standard operating procedures) necessary to sustain the open government community over the long haul. This month's summit is generously hosted by NASA and facilitated by the Open Forum Foundation."

HSPD-12 Update: Government Lawyer Just Makes Things Up

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Scientists Demand Retraction From Gov't Attorney In NASA Privacy Case, space.com

"A group of scientists has demanded that the U.S. Attorney General's office immediately retract remarks made by a government attorney during arguments before the Supreme Court over privacy concerns with NASA background checks. The scientists said they want the attorney general to retract a statement made by acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal during his opening statement, which at one point addressed how easily employees at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., could access sensitive areas and facilities using a new security badge."

JPL scientists demand retraction in Supreme Court privacy case, Pasadena Star News

"Jet Propulsion Laboratory employees Thursday accused the federal government's lawyers of lying to the U.S. Supreme Court when the justices heard arguments this week in a legal battle involving new security background checks."

hspd12jpl.org

Previous HSPD-12 News

Oh My – Yet Another NASA Photoshop Coverup

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Conspiracy Theorists Confident: Altered Image a NASA Cover-Up, Fox News

"The person responsible for the manipulation, Emily Lakdawalla, told a forum of excitable theorists that she made the changes because of the way Cassini takes photos. "Cassini takes color pictures by snapping three sequential photos through red, green and blue filters," she said. "In the time that separated the three frames, Dione moved, so if I did a simple color composite I would be able to make Titan look right, but not Dione; or Dione look right, but not Titan." "So I aligned Dione, cut it out, and then aligned Titan," Lakdwalla explained, "and then had to account for the missing bits of shadow where the bits of Dione had been in two of the three channels."

Keith's note: Truth be known, Emily's covert job is to cover up any and all evidence of life in the universe. In this case it is the existence 2 billion aliens that live on Dione that she's hiding. You'll note that the original photo on the left shows the lights from their many cities. But thanks to Photoshop, they have all disappeared. This cover-up has been going on for years. Back in 1998 I uncovered evidence of sophisticated construction work on Mars - that is, until Emily got hold of the image and scrubbed all of the evidence away using Photoshop. I managed to save a copy of the original image. The truth is out there.

Accused Russian Spy Was a Guest at ISS Crew Launch

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Anna Chapman waves off space rocket in Kazakhstan, Guardian

"The already improbable Anna Chapman saga took another surprising twist today when the 28-year-old former Russian spy resurfaced in Kazakhstan to wave off a space rocket. Chapman, who was one of 10 Russian agents to be deported from the US in July, became a tabloid sensation after sultry pictures of her were published in newspapers around the world. Early today, however, Chapman arrived at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to see off a US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts bound for the International Space Station. She appeared at the farewell ceremony for the space crew and was quickly moved to a guest house near the launch pad accompanied by a guard who blocked reporters. She made no public comment."

Anna Chapman, glamorous Russian spy, bids farewell to astronauts, Christian Science Monitor

"Clad in a hot red jacket and tight-fitting black slacks, Ms. Chapman was today spotted smiling and waving at the former Soviet space launch center Baikonur, in Kazakhstan, as she attended an exclusive farewell ceremony for Russian cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka and American astronaut Scott Kelly."

Glamorous spy sees Russian rocket blast off for ISS, AFP

"Russian media reports said she has been working as an advisor for a bank that is involved in the Russian space programme but officials at Russia's space agency Roskosmos were quick to deny it was involved in her visit. "Roskosmos has nothing to do with Anna Chapman's visit. As far as we know, she came here as a private individual on the invitation of an executive of a commercial bank," a Roskosmos official said. "Miss Chapman neither met with the Roskosmos leadership nor with members of the Soyuz crew," the official told the Interfax news agency."

Astrobiology News

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Titan's haze may hold ingredients for life, University of Arizona

"In an experiment exploring the chemical processes that might be going on in the hazy atmosphere enshrouding Saturn's largest moon, a University of Arizona-led team of scientists discovered a variety of complex organic molecules - including amino acids and nucleotide bases, the most important ingredients of life on Earth."

Water discovered on second asteroid, may be even more common, University of Central Florida

"This discovery suggests that this region of our solar system contains more water ice than anticipated," said University of Central Florida Professor Humberto Campins. "And it supports the theory that asteroids may have hit Earth and brought our planet its water and the building blocks for life to form and evolve here."

Enceladus May Keep Oceans Liquid with Wobble, NASA

"Saturn's icy moon Enceladus should not be one of the most promising places in our solar system to look for extraterrestrial life. Instead, it should have frozen solid billions of years ago. Located in the frigid outer solar system, it's too far from the sun to have oceans of liquid water -- a necessary ingredient for known forms of life -- on its surface."

Astrobiology News on Twitter

Wayne Hale: OMB Strikes Again

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Chasing Augustine, Wayne Hale

"A couple of months later I was notified that I would receive a Group Achievement Award for helping with the [Augustine] committee. I told them I did not want the award and would not accept it. They didn't know how to handle that request. I boycotted the awards presentation but they still sent me the certificate in the mail. My first impulse was to burn it. I still may. A fair question to ask is what about the committee's work so thoroughly upset me? There were a number of factors, far more than I can explore in one short post. So I will deal with the #1 reason: the committee was snookered by OMB."

Growth in Suborbital Research Continues

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Suborbital research hitches a ride on commercial space cruisers, Physics Today

"The promise of frequent, relatively inexpensive flights to suborbital space has attracted a growing number of researchers who are poised to send, or even accompany, experiments on multi-use commercial spaceships. The fledgling commercial space sector is now testing manned and unmanned rockets that could cruise for three or more minutes in a steady-state, low-vibration microgravity environment at altitudes around 100 km. Commercial space vehicles can take an experiment to space and bring it back at far less cost than conventional unmanned, single-use NASA rockets or a trip to the International Space Station, if one can even be arranged."

Space Policy Staff Changes at NSC

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Obama Space Adviser Leaves White House, Space News

"Peter Marquez, director of space policy for the White House National Security Council, stepped down Sept. 27 to pursue new opportunities. Marquez, who was appointed to the post in 2007 by then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, played a central role in shaping U.S. President Barack Obama's new national space policy issued by the White House in June."

President Obama Expected to Sign NASA Authorization Bill

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Hutchison: NASA Bill Provides Clear Direction and a New Path Forward for America's Space Agency

"Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today said the NASA reauthorization bill, which the president is expected to sign into law, provides clear direction and a new path forward for America's space agency. The bill was approved by the Senate in August and by the House in September."

Hutchison lauds NASA reauthorization bill, The Hill

"The bill, which passed the Senate in August and the House in September, significantly alters the landscape of America's space program by moving resources away from the space shuttle program and toward the commercial space industry. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law this week. "

Today’s Dumb Press Release Title is from UC Berkeley

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Keith's 7 Oct note: Today's dumb press release title comes from UC Berkeley: "NASA mission asks why Mars has no atmosphere". DUH, last time I checked Mars most certainly has an atmosphere. If it did not have one, then the parachutes that have been used to slow down spacecraft would not work, there would be no dust devils, clouds, sand storms, etc. Indeed, if Mars "has no atmosphere", how can MAVEN study it? Indeed, why send an atmosphere-studying spacecraft to a planet that "has no atmosphere"? Oddly, the press release itself says "MAVEN will carry three instrument suites, totaling eight instruments, to probe the Martian atmosphere and its interactions with the sun."

Time to get a new editor guys.

Keith's 8 Oct update: UC Berkeley added the word "almost" to the ress release title on this page. Here's what it originally looked like before the fix.

From Aircraft Wings to Wind Turbine Blades: NASA Software Comes Back to Earth with Green Energy Applications

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You might think a wind turbine would have more in common with a plane’s propeller than an aircraft wing, but wind blades actually behave a lot more like wings than props. This fact has enabled a valuable spinoff from aerospace to wind energy involving the first software that NASA ever allowed to be commercialized as part of the Agency’s ongoing effort to transfer technology to U.S. business and industry.

Commercial Spaceflight Federation Proud Participant in the Space Entrepreneurship Forum on Sept. 15

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The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is proud to be participating in the Space Entrepreneurship Forum, a September 15 event on Capitol Hill. Commercial Spaceflight Federation speakers will include John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Federation, and George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic. The event, which begins at 3 pm, is free and open to the public.

The forum is being organized by the JURBAN Google Lunar X PRIZE team and the JAKA Consulting Group, in cooperation with Representatives Donna F. Edwards, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Diane Watson, Chaka Fattah and Marcia Fudge, coinciding with Congressional Black Caucus Week.

“The growth of commercial spaceflight will open up new opportunities for youth across America and excite children to enter careers in math and science in a highly-visible way,” stated John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is very proud to be participating in the Space Entrepreneurship Forum.”

Former FAA Associate Administrator and commercial space expert Patti Grace Smith will also be speaking, as well as a panel of current government officials including Dr. George Nield from the FAA and Michael Beavin from the Department of Commerce, among others.

The panel sessions will begin at 3 pm in Rayburn House Office Building Rm 2318, with a reception to follow at 5 pm in Cannon House Office Building Rm 122. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.juxtopia.org/jurban/spaceforum/register2.html.

CSF Strongly Supports Senate NASA Authorization Bill & Encourages Prompt Resolution Before New Fiscal Year Begins

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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation strongly supports Senate bill S.3729, the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, which has been approved unanimously by the Senate. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation urges that the House vote to pass the Senate bill immediately, before the new fiscal year begins on October 1.

Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Bretton Alexander said, “With the new fiscal year about to begin, space industry businesses and individual space workers can’t afford more months of ongoing uncertainty – they need to know what future to plan for. A protracted stalemate over the NASA authorization bill would likely cause continued layoffs and would make it more difficult for commercial companies to ramp up hiring. We cannot afford to delay the creation of new jobs, and the Senate bill, which we support, could be on the President’s desk before the end of the week. The only way to avoid months of limbo for NASA is for a prompt resolution by Congress before the new fiscal year begins, and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation urges a speedy resolution to this process.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high- tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.