It’s 206 miles to today’s state tournament; Comets seek to return … – YourGV.com

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There are many people who have seen the Halifax County High School baseball teams practice jerseys with TEAM 206 written on them.

TEAM 206 represents the 206 miles from Halifax County High School to the site of todays Virginia High School League 5A State Baseball Tournament semi-final game at Westfield High School in Chantilly where the Comets will face Prince George High School at 10 a.m. with a berth in Saturdays state championship game on the line.

It has served as a constant reminder and an inspiration to Comets players of the goal of the state championship that was established long ago.

Growing up, this is what weve talked about, said Comets senior Holt Powell.

It has definitely made us play for something bigger than just ourselves. I really think it has driven our whole season to play toward this one goal.

Weve done it, Powell added of his team reaching the state tournament.

Now, weve got to get it done Friday and Saturday.

Comets sophomore third baseman and pitcher Drew Harlow said he and his teammates want the shirts to carry more significance by winning the state championship.

We want to make these shirts worth something, Harlow pointed out.

We hung them up (in the dugout) during the regional (semi-final) game to give us support and keep the goal in front of us.

This weekend is a big one for Halifax County High School baseball. This is the sixth time a Comets baseball team has made it to the Final Four in the state. The last time it happened was in 2001.

Its exciting to see that were definitely going to the state tournament, Harlow remarked.

Im confident were going to do well. Were just going to go and play our regular game.

That, says Comets Head Coach Kenneth Day, is all he wants his players to do.

Were approaching it as just another game, Day said of this mornings state semi-final game against Prince George High School.

Were going to focus on us, and hopefully we will do some good things, and it all will turn out on the good side for us.

Its good to get this far, he added, but weve still got two games to play. We dont want to just go up there and show up. We want to go up there and play and win two ballgames.

Day said he knows his team will be facing a quality opponent this morning in Prince George High School.

Weve got a huge task at hand, he pointed out.

Were playing a quality team. If we dont bring our A game, were going to be in trouble just like every other game weve played this season.

The Comets, 20-3 overall entering todays state semi-final game, have faced quality opponents this season and have proven they can win in pressure-packed situations. That, Day says, will help carry the team in the state tournament.

Having played close games and playing in pressure situations will help all of the kids in the long run, Day noted.

Its going to help us Friday and Saturday.

The Comets have had a good week of practice getting themselves prepared for todays game and will be ready for todays task.

Weve just been refining what weve been doing all along, just being us, Day said.

There is nothing special weve done. There is nothing new weve done. Were just going to go up there and play, do our best and see what happens.

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It's 206 miles to today's state tournament; Comets seek to return ... - YourGV.com

Rosetta finds comet connection to Earth’s atmosphere – Space Daily

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The challenging detection, by ESA's Rosetta mission, of several isotopes of the noble gas xenon at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has established the first quantitative link between comets and the atmosphere of Earth. The blend of xenon found at the comet closely resembles U-xenon, the primordial mixture that scientists believe was brought to Earth during the early stages of Solar System formation.

These measurements suggest that comets contributed about one fifth the amount of xenon in Earth's ancient atmosphere. Xenon - a colourless, odourless gas which makes up less than one billionth of the volume of Earth's atmosphere - might hold the key to answer a long-standing question about comets: did they contribute to the delivery of material to our planet when the Solar System was taking shape, some 4.6 billion years ago? And if so, by how much?

The noble gas xenon is formed in a variety of stellar processes, from the late phases of low- and intermediate-mass stars to supernova explosions and even neutron star mergers. Each of these phenomena gives rise to different isotopes of the element. As a noble gas, xenon does not interact with other chemical species, and is therefore an important tracer of the material from which the Sun and planets originated, which in turns derives from earlier generations of stars.

"Xenon is the heaviest stable noble gas and perhaps the most important because of its many isotopes that originate in different stellar processes: each one provides an additional piece of information about our cosmic origins," says Bernard Marty from CRPG-CNRS and Universite de Lorraine, France. Bernard is the lead author of a paper reporting Rosetta's discovery of xenon at Comet 67P/C-G, which is published in Science.

It is because of this special 'fingerprint' that scientists have been using xenon to investigate the composition of the early Solar System, which provides important clues to constrain its formation. Over the past decades, they sampled the relative abundances of its various isotopes at different locations: in the atmosphere of Earth and Mars, in meteorites deriving from asteroids, at Jupiter, and in the solar wind - the flow of charged particles streaming from the Sun.

The blend of xenon present in the atmosphere of our planet contains a higher abundance of heavier isotopes with respect to the lighter ones; however, this is a result of lighter elements escaping more easily from Earth's gravitational pull and being lost to space in greater amounts. By correcting the atmospheric composition of xenon for this runaway effect, scientists in the 1970s calculated the composition of the primordial mixture of this noble gas, known as U-xenon, that was once present on Earth.

This U-xenon contained a similar mix of light isotopes to that of asteroids and the solar wind, but included significantly smaller amounts of the heavier isotopes.

"For these reasons, we have long suspected that xenon in the early atmosphere of Earth could have a different origin from the average blend of this noble gas found in the Solar System," says Bernard.

One of the explanations is that Solar System xenon derives directly from the protosolar cloud, a mass of gas and dust that gave rise to the Sun and planets, while the xenon found in the Earth's atmosphere was delivered at a later stage by comets, which in turn might have formed from a different mix of material.

With ESA's Rosetta mission visiting Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, an icy fossil of the early Solar System, scientists could finally gather the long-sought data to test this hypothesis.

"Searching for xenon at the comet was one of the most crucial and challenging measurements we performed with Rosetta," says Kathrin Altwegg from the University of Bern, Switzerland, principal investigator of ROSINA, the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis, which was used for this study.

Xenon is very diffuse in the comet's thin atmosphere, so the navigation team had to fly Rosetta very close - 5 km to 8 km from the surface of the nucleus - for a period of three weeks so that ROSINA could obtain a significant detection of all the relevant isotopes.

Flying so close to the comet was extremely challenging because of the large amount of dust that was lifting off the surface at the time, which could confuse the star trackers that were used to orient the spacecraft.

Eventually, the Rosetta team decided to perform this operation in the second half of May 2016. This period was chosen as a compromise so that enough time would have passed after the comet's perihelion, in August 2015, for the dust activity to be less intense, but not too much for the atmosphere to be excessively thin and the presence of xenon hard to detect.

As a result of the observations, ROSINA identified seven isotopes of xenon, as well as several isotopes of another noble gas, krypton; these brought to three the inventory of noble gases found at Rosetta's comet, following the discovery of argon from measurements performed in late 2014.

"These measurements required a long stretch of dedicated time solely for ROSINA, and it would have been very disappointing if we hadn't detected xenon at Comet 67P/C-G, so I'm really glad that we succeeded in detecting so many isotopes," adds Kathrin.

Further analysis of the data revealed that the blend of xenon at Comet 67P/C-G, which contains larger amounts of light isotopes than heavy ones, is quite different from the average mixture found in the Solar System. A comparison with the on-board calibration sample confirmed that the xenon detected at the comet is also different from the current mix in the Earth's atmosphere.

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NASA comet swarm image released – News.com.au – NEWS.com.au

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The risk is growing that Earth will be hit by an asteroid from a meteor stream known as the Taurids, according to stargazers.

NASA has revealed a terrifying animation of a swarm of comets and asteroids circling our planet.

The pictures come from the space agencys asteroid hunting mission, the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or Neowise for short.

NASA issued the chilling warning that 10 new potentially hazardous asteroids have been discovered in the past year, along with 96 other newly spotted space rocks in our midst.

Scientists who have been analysing the data said they have seen an unexplained increase in comet activity, too.

The risk is growing that Earth will be hit by an asteroid from a meteor stream known as the Taurids, according to astronomers from the Czech Academy of Science.

They have detected a new branch with at least two asteroids measuring 200-300m in diameter.

Most probably, the branch also includes many undetected asteroids which are dozens of metres in diameter or larger, the Czech Academy said in a press release.

Hence, the danger of a crash with an asteroid grows markedly once every few years that the Earth encounters this stream of interplanetary material.

The new branch moves together around the sun, and the Earth encounters it once every few years for a period of about three weeks.

During this period, the probability of a collision with a larger object (of about dozens of metres in diameter) is markedly higher, the Academy said.

This animation shows asteroids and comets observed in infrared by NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission. Courtesy: NASA

The asteroids are very fragile, but when they are this large they may penetrate deep into the atmosphere and pose a real threat of collision with Earth.

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of the planets in our solar system into orbits that allow them to enter Earths neighbourhood.

Ten of the objects discovered by Nasas Neowise in the past year have been classified as potentially hazardous asteroids, based on their size and their orbits.

Its found 693 NEOs since the mission was restarted in December 2013. Of these, 114 are new.

Asteroid impact is a legitimate threat to Earth, scientists warn.Source:The Advertiser

Neowise is not only discovering previously uncharted asteroids and comets, but it is providing excellent data on many of those already in the catalogue, said Amy Mainzer, Neowise principal investigator from Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

It is also proving to be an invaluable tool in the refining and perfecting of techniques for NEO discovery and characterisation by a space-based infra-red observatory.

There are several known asteroids that pose a risk.

The Shard-sized 2015 BN509 which flew past Earth in February could return with a vengeance, scientists have warned.

NASA and the European Space Agency want to ram into an asteroid in a bid to save humanity from a Deep Impact-style catastrophe.

They want to see whether its possible to deflect a space rock from its course as part of a planetary defence mission.

This article originally appeared on The Sun.

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Politics, world travel and a universalist faith – Patheos (blog)

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My ten-year-old grandson is already a universalist. I suspect hell never understand the way the Evangelical Christians insist that those who dont accept Jesus into their hearts will see God condemn them to hell.

On a walk with the beautiful mother of my d-i-l and my sweet husband with the challenging Bepo.

[Note: Jet lag still horrible and not sleeping. But wanted to get some observations out in the first leg of our trip.]

By late Saturday night, only six of us remained in this suburban London house: me, my husband, a son, his wife, and their two children.

Most of the day, there have been fifteen here: various relatives from Colombia, some Brits, including my grandsons two female cousins, a Frenchman, and us US folks.

The morning had started, after the usual superb omelet that emerges from the kitchen magic here, with several rousing games of ping-pong with the youngest grandson. To put it mildly, I was soundly defeated. However, my husband gave him a pretty good run for the money.

Nonetheless, nothing can beat a determined nine-year-old school table-tennis champ with a killer-spin-serve that is nearly impossible to return.

In the meantime, his older brother and dad mowed and trimmed the huge back yard. Late morning, as others began to arrive, several of us set out for a walk in the nearby fields.

As is true all across the UK, there are dedicated public footpaths across privately held fields. We were able to meander comfortably through nearby fields of a thousand acres of sorghum and some other flowering grain.

Bepo, the one-year-old Chesapeake Retriever who comes from superb hunting stock, went through numerous training exercises but also was able to run freely, as did the many other dogs we met on our way.

After returning, the Colombian women headed to the kitchen, preparing for all fifteen of us a lovely lunch of beans, rice, pork, fried plantains, and salad. Lively South American music flooded the kitchen. The women danced as they cooked.

I prevailed on my oldest grandson to show off his increasingly expert piano skills. I knew enough to stay out of the kitchen.

Lunch conversation revolved around politics at our end of the table (all speaking English there) and politics at the other end of the table (all in Spanish there).

Was fascinated to hear the current take on the situation in Great Britain. Theresa May, misreading her popularity levels, decided to call for this election thinking she would solidify her position by so doing.

In the UK, voters vote, not for the Prime Minister, but for their local MPs. The party that gets most of the votes then chooses the Prime Minister. In this case, the Tories (Conservatives, Mays party) ended up losing multiple spots, rendering the likely end to Mays leadership.

There are numerous calls for her to resign. If she doesnt, she will probably be removed anyway by the Parliament, as the Labour Party (i.e., more liberal) picked up a bundle of seats. The consensusaround the table: the UK has no functional government at the moment.

Apparently, Holland is in a similar situation with a completely split government. France, however, is very, very happy with their election. Marie Le Pen made the same mistake as May: misunderstanding her popularity levels and thinking it would carry the election.

As for Trump: most Brits cant stand him, nor can the French. My son, although fairly sure Trump would win, is now making a series of bets as to how soon the House will start impeachment procedures.

While the political conversations were taking place, the kids disappeared on a bike ride with just a well be back later notice to their parents. None of the rest of us even knew they were gone.

On a later 2 1/2 mile walk to a pub, accompanied again by Bepo in an attempt to wear him out a bit, my walking companion was the oldest of the four cousins, a 16-year-old. She and I have grown close over the years of my visits, and we delight in being in each others company. She also graciously provided a steadying arm on some rock-laden, steep downhill forest paths where it is easy to lose footing or trip over a tree root.

A straggling line of our house party taking the 2 and 1/2 mile walk to the ancient pub.

She told me all about the bike ride, pointing out the hills they had raced down, the games they played, the freedom they enjoyed. And no, they had not worn helmets and, no, their parents did not come with them, and no, their parents did not know where they were going, as there are miles of roads and trails around here.

When I spoke of the fewer freedoms US kids have regarding this kind of unsupervised time and imaginative play (all the children have extreme restrictions on screen time), she said, So what happens when they go off to University? Will they have the maturity necessary to handle their freedom when theyve never had practice being on their own?

Wise question from a 16-year-old indeed. And I wonder the same. Other conversations with the kids indicated a remarkably high level of awareness of the world and current political events. They know well we live in an interconnected society. Far better than most US children, I would guess.

The pub, full of small rooms and expansive outdoor seating, also is a haven for dog owners. Nearly everyone had one, mostly quite large, all well-behaved. Bepo, so much the adolescent who had also taken an exuberant roll in a mud puddle, needed careful control on a tight leash, but many sat unleashed and calmly obedient to their owners.

I enjoyed a cold gin and tonic, and most others had a beer while my teen friend enjoyed hot chocolate. We all admired the other dogs around us and then headed back, with the steep uphill climbs facing us.

By 8:30, after the children had a quick swim, people began to depart leaving again the quiet household of only six.

Another superb meal followed, and we eventually tumbled into bed.

Shortly, my son heads for the Middle East as part of his work. He has some fascinating insights into the situation in Qatar, where he has often, until now, flown as that airport is a great hub for most Middle East airports.

Qatar, fully desert and embarrassingly oil-rich, must import 100% of its food and the only way food can get in right now is by air. The Saudis have blocked all roads. Qatars seaport is too small for the giant freighters that deliver to nearby ports. The Saudis are trying to starve them out.

Before breakfast, my son and husband headed to the store and came back with a copy of The Sunday Times. From a front-page article that spoke of Theresa May, She had a 20-point lead but managed to turn that crock of gold into a crock of shit. By the endin a campaign against Jeremy Corbyn for Gods sakewe were even on the back foot over terrorism. This is the extent of the disaster.

The press pulls no punches over here.

I asked my oldest grandson about the Religious Education courses he takes as part of his prep school education. They are studying all religious faiths. His best friend is a Muslima delightful and personable kid who was here on Friday when we arrived. Their classmates include Buddhists and Hindus as well as Muslims and Christians. My grandson didnt know if there were any Jewish classmates.

As part of a philosophy class (hes 10!), the instructor asked the children to define the meaning of life. I inquired how he answered. He replied, I guess it depends on how one is raised. Those who are Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Christian will all have different ideas of the meaning of life.

But now, the boys have a tutor here. They must prepare extensively for comprehensive exams that will decide on the schools they will start attending in the ninth grade. The environment is highly competitive and the seats in the best schools in short supply. Lots of academic pressure.

A few thoughts: The US is a bit of a laughing stock right now. However, political issues and economic problems are intense here. The British universal and free health care, so touted by many in the US who want a single payer system, is rapidly draining the country of resources and in danger of collapse. Not nearly enough adequate housing. The tough job situation is not improving.

Economics matter and they matter a lot.

People, both in Great Britain and in France, are also choosing not to give into fear, despite the recent terrorist acts. Although the immigration officer at the airport carefully asked about plans while here, I saw no one detained.

Im also thinking about my grandsons religious understandings. He is, already, a universalist. I suspect hell never understand the way the US Evangelical Christians insist that those who dont accept Jesus into their hearts will discover God intends to send them to hell. Assuming the Evangelicals are right, of course.

His world, informed as it is by international friends, major travel experiences, and coupled with a wider education, makes such narrowness impossible. So, does that mean that he, along with his brother and their cousins and extended family, will all experience eternal conscious torment? They are not regular attendees at Mass, although the boys are getting the basic grounding in their faith. Is that enough to keep them from the fiery abyss?

Its a question to explore. But now, it is time for a walk to another pub for lunch.

All thoughts welcome.

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Politics, world travel and a universalist faith - Patheos (blog)

No instant results in spirituality – Free Press Journal

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We are all living in a fast paced world where most things we practice run around the clock. Our everyday life is almost slotted and scheduled according to perfect time tables. The most precious possession today beyond money is TIME. Struggling to keep pace, we have all got accustomed to a unique concept called Instants. From noodles to pizzas, from messaging to online results and deliveries, we want everything instantly.

So most people I meet expect the same from their Spiritual practices INSTANT RESULTS.They want to get as much as possible, as quickly as possible, from as little commitment as possible.I have had some interesting episodes during my workshops when people walk up to me trying to comprehend why meditation does not work for them. Surprisingly when I ask how long they have been practicing mediation, the answers do not move beyond a few days to maybe a month. Common concerns are also regarding whether they have got their mediation practices right because meditation seems to be yielding no RESULTS.

Well, let me clarify here that even the most progressed masters have not been able to invent an instant technique that can make spirituality work for you. There are various methodologies, techniques and even extremely less time consuming methods to reach your spiritual goals, provided there is patience and persistence.By experience, I can say that each of us can surely pull time out between our busy schedules to focus on inner happenings, provided you have the intent. However, be rest assured that therewill be no instant results.

Think about it. Does nature follow shortcuts? There is clearly a season for all things. Every plant blossoms and bears fruit when the time is right and not one instant before. The same concept applies to us humans, especially when it comes to a phenomenon like Spirituality. All of us can become finer human beings and achieve greater success if we havepatience, dedication and faith.

With our professional lives being performance driven, we all feel a need to accomplish something. Were always trying to reach the finish line so that we can feel a sense of completion and move onto something else. However, meditation and spirituality are never quite like that. Spirituality is a process, not an event. It involves long-term changes in your thinking, your perspectives and your lifestyle. It is important that if you want to change it has to be in slow degrees. You cannot change habits and lifestyles overnight so move at a relaxed and steady pace.

At this stage I would also want to reiterate that unlike common notion, Spirituality does not necessarily involve a lot of ritualistic dealings androutines or schedules, though a common practice for increasing focus, concentrating on the inner self and calming the mind can surely help. Again the options are open. One can take up meditation in any form, take up regular chanting, do a bit of yoga, or just sit peacefully for a few minutes at the end of day, focusing attention on the happenings of the day and let thoughts flow freely. There are no set formulas for deciding your spiritual practice. Anything that works for you and helps you increase focus and reduce mental disturbance is good.

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No instant results in spirituality - Free Press Journal

Author Spotlight: Sarah Vargo – Northwest Herald

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Hometown: Cary

Latest Book: Life Is Your Party ... With A Little Pixie Dust

Publisher: 220 Communications

Release Date: Nov. 9, 2016

Available: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Whats your new book about?

Life Is Your Party ... With A Little Pixie Dust is a humorous, inspiring, light-hearted, enlightening comparison between the elements of party planning and spiritual awakening. Author Sarah Vargo combines two journeys in her life experiences as an event planner or party girl and her continual spiritual evolution leading to enlightenment. Join her as she begins to rejoice in her inner journey, not just in creating festivities in her outside world. A little pixie dust can lead to magic on the dance floor under the disco ball! Ride that rainbow and celebrate life every day ... fashionably late but always right on time!

Where did the idea come from?

I was a party planner for many years and loved hosting events. I felt I had so many fun tips to share, along with a lot of positive energy. As I started writing the book, I realized how many similarities there were between parties and life. As I was writing, I actually had a spiritual awakening and my book shifted quite a bit in the process.

What genre is your book, and why were you drawn to it?

My book is categorized on Amazon as Self-Help, Humor and Religion and Spirituality. I have always wanted to help people and inspire them. At first I was hesitant to write a book about spirituality, but as time went by there was no way I could not because it is such a big part of who I am today.

Who is the intended audience?

I am intending to reach anyone who it will help. I find it can help everyone in some way.

Why is this story important to you?

Over the years, I feel I have learned some very powerful and inspiring prayers, energy purification techniques, and I infused my book with so much love ... and of course pixie dust! I also wanted to bridge my earlier years as a party girl on the scene with a new kind of inner party from my spiritual journey.

How long did it take you to write? What was your process?

It took me about five or six years to write the book. I actually wrote most of it over a period of two weeks. While I was working on the book, I was going through a rapid spiritual evolution and changing very quickly. I am glad I actually let myself have time to write it because it came out the way it was intended.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? What was the hardest part?

I loved coming up with the idea and concept in the beginning ... it poured out of me. I also enjoyed writing my childhood stories that I include. I also was excited to come up with the concept for the cover and have my Dad paint it. I found it challenging to incorporate my earlier writing with the more recent writing, as I wrote the majority of it later. The editing process also was challenging but so rewarding at the end.

How are you publishing this book and why (traditional/indie/self-publishing)?

My publisher is 220 Communications. Glenn Murray, the founder, is a good friend who has always supported me, and I felt really comfortable during the process.

What is your education/background?

Author Sarah Stargo Vargo is a certified Reiki Master, Holistic Life Coach, Energy Alchemist, graduate of the University of Illinois and Party Girl who loves to ignite the inner star inside all of us so we shine a little brighter.

Her work brings inspiration, cheer and sunshine to the world through the love, grace and beauty her clients find on the inside and outside.

Sarahs current creation Stargo specializes in energy clearing and balancing, Self Love Reiki, Divine Path Reiki, Feng Shui, high frequency energy-embedded art, and angelic intuitive healing and readings.

Her professional background ranges from marketing, events, social media, charity work to energy and intuitive healings, readings and life coaching.

Through the Stargo vision, Sarah is excited to be a personal life cheerleader and awaken the inner star for many through inspiration, laughter, motivation, leadership, coaching and love.

How/why did you decide to write a book?

I always have loved writing and I felt the message coming out of me very strongly and had to share it. The content and ideas poured out of me in the very beginning,

Who are your favorite authors?

Louise Hay, Jane Austen

Pick one: Danielle Steel or John Grisham?

John Grisham

Pick one: Stephen King or Nicholas Sparks?

Nicholas Sparks

Pick one: Ebooks or hard/paperbacks?

Hard/paperbacks

Have you written anything else?

I have two children books that are written and now I am working on illustrations.

Whats next for you?

I am exited to continue writing, painting and doing my energy healing work. The two childrens books I have are about a partying unicorn and a clumsy angel.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Website: http://www.sarahstargo.com

Blog: http://www.stargolove.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarahvargo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahvargo

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Your-Party- Little-Pixie/dp/1513610406/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16102275.Sarah_Vargo

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Author Spotlight: Sarah Vargo - Northwest Herald

China’s space station to help maintain co-orbital telescope – Space Daily

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China will develop and launch a two-meter-caliber space telescope, which will share the same orbit with the country's future space station, said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency.

The telescope will dock with the co-orbital space station for refueling as well as maintenance and exchange, Yang revealed at the ongoing Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017) which began Tuesday in Beijing.

Used for large-scale, multi-color imaging and seamless spectroscope surveying, the space telescope is expected to provide observation data for astronomical and physical studies, said Yang, who is also China's first astronaut.

China will launch the core module of the country's manned space station in 2019 as the first step in completing the country's first space outpost.

The station, expected to begin operation by 2022 and orbit for at least 10 years, will be composed of three modules: core module, experiment module I and experiment module II. Each module will weigh more than 20 tonnes and together the three will be structured in a T shape, with the core module in the middle and an experiment module on each side.

The three modules will be equipped with advanced multipurpose facilities for scientific experiments in many fields, including space life science and biotechnology, microgravity fluid physics and combustion, and material science in space, Yang said.

With the International Space Station set to retire in 2024, the Chinese space station will offer a promising alternative, and China will be the only country with a permanent space station.

The station, orbiting 340 to 450 kilometers above the Earth's surface, will usually accommodate three crew members, with a maximum crew capacity up to six during rotations, Yang said.

The crew will be transported to the station by Shenzhou spaceships, and airtight cargo, large extravehicular payloads and experiment platform will be delivered by cargo ships, he said.

China sent its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 into space in April. Cargo ships will be sent to help maintain a space station.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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China's space station to help maintain co-orbital telescope - Space Daily

NASA: SpaceX Dragon to Deliver Ground-Breaking Science Research to Space Station –"Neutron Stars to Human … – The Daily Galaxy (blog)

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SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Dragon spacecraft for its eleventh commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station June 1 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center's historic pad 39A. Dragon will lift into orbit atop the Falcon 9 rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crew members living aboard the station. The flight will deliver investigations and facilities that study neutron stars, osteoporosis, solar panels, tools for Earth-observation, and more.

New solar panels test concept for more efficient power source

Solar panels are an efficient way to generate power, but they can be delicate and large when used to power a spacecraft or satellites. They are often tightly stowed for launch and then must be unfolded when the spacecraft reaches orbit. The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), is a solar panel concept that is lighter and stores more compactly for launch than the rigid solar panels currently in use. ROSA has solar cells on a flexible blanket and a framework that rolls out like a tape measure. The technology for ROSA is one of two new solar panel concepts that were developed by the Solar Electric Propulsion project, sponsored by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate.

The new solar panel concepts are intended to provide power to electric thrusters for use on NASA's future space vehicles for operations near the Moon and for missions to Mars and beyond. They might also be used to power future satellites in Earth orbit, including more powerful commercial communications satellites. The demonstration of the deployment of ROSA on the space station is sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Investigation studies composition of neutron stars

Neutron stars, the glowing cinders left behind when massive stars explode as supernovas, are the densest objects in the universe, and contain exotic states of matter that are impossible to replicate in any ground lab. These stars are called "pulsars" because of the unique way they emit light - in a beam similar to a lighthouse beacon. As the star spins, the light sweeps past us, making it appear as if the star is pulsing. The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload, affixed to the exterior of the space station, studies the physics of these stars, providing new insight into their nature and behavior.

Neutron stars emit X-ray radiation, enabling the NICER technology to observe and record information about its structure, dynamics and energetics. In addition to studying the matter within the neutron stars, the payload also includes a technology demonstration called the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT), which will help researchers to develop a pulsar-based, space navigation system. Pulsar navigation could work similarly to GPS on Earth, providing precise position for spacecraft throughout the solar system.

Investigation studies effect of new drug on osteoporosis

When people and animals spend extended periods of time in space, they experience bone density loss, or osteoporosis. In-flight countermeasures, such as exercise, prevent it from getting worse, but there isn't a therapy on Earth or in space that can restore bone that is already lost. The Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for osteoporosis (Rodent Research-5) investigation tests a new drug that can both rebuild bone and block further bone loss, improving health for crew members.

Exposure to microgravity creates a rapid change in bone health, similar to what happens in certain bone-wasting diseases, during extended bed rest and during the normal aging process. The results from this ISS National Laboratory-sponsored investigation build on previous research also supported by the National Institutes for Health and could lead to new drugs for treating bone density loss in millions of people on Earth.

Research seeks to understand the heart of the matter

Exposure to reduced gravity environments can result in cardiovascular changes such as fluid shifts, changes in total blood volume, heartbeat and heart rhythm irregularities, and diminished aerobic capacity. The Fruit Fly Lab-02 study will use the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) to better understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity on the heart. Flies are smaller, with a well-known genetic make-up, and very rapid aging that make them good models for studying heart function. This experiment will help to develop a microgravity heart model in the fruit fly. Such a model could significantly advance the study of spaceflight effects on the cardiovascular system and facilitate the development of countermeasures to prevent the adverse effects of space travel on astronauts.

Investigation shapes the way humans survive in space

Currently, the life-support systems aboard the space station require special equipment to separate liquids and gases. This technology utilizes rotating and moving parts that, if broken or otherwise compromised, could cause contamination aboard the station. The Capillary Structures investigation studies a new method of water recycling and carbon dioxide removal using structures designed in specific shapes to manage fluid and gas mixtures. As opposed to the expensive, machine-based processes currently in use aboard the station, the Capillary Structures equipment is made up of small, 3-D printed geometric shapes of varying sizes that clip into place.

Using time lapse photography, on-ground research teams will observe how liquids evaporate from these capillary structures, testing the effectiveness of the varying parameters. Results from the investigation could lead to the development of new processes that are simple, trustworthy, and highly reliable in the case of an electrical failure or other malfunction.

Facility provides platform for Earth-observation tools

Orbiting approximately 250 miles above the Earth's surface, the space station provides views of the Earth below like no other location can provide. The Multiple User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES) facility, developed by Teledyne Brown Engineering, hosts Earth-viewing instruments such as high-resolution digital cameras, hyperspectral imagers, and provides precision pointing and other accommodations.

This National Lab-sponsored investigation can produce data to be used for maritime domain awareness, agricultural awareness, food security, disaster response, air quality, oil and gas exploration and fire detection.

These investigations will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the space station. Follow @ISS_Research for more information about the science happening on station.

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NASA: SpaceX Dragon to Deliver Ground-Breaking Science Research to Space Station --"Neutron Stars to Human ... - The Daily Galaxy (blog)

Soyuz booster rolls out for launch with space station cargo freighter – Spaceflight Now

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The Soyuz-2.1a rocket arrives at Launch Pad No. 1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Sunday. Credit: Roscosmos

Russian launch crews stood up a Soyuz rocket Sunday on its launch mount in Kazakhstan for a scheduled liftoff Wednesday with approximately 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of supplies, experiments, fuel and several small satellites to be released by spacewalking cosmonauts at the International Space Station later this year.

The Soyuz-2.1a rocket emerged from an assembly building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome around sunrise Sunday, then trekked on a specialized train car to Launch Pad No. 31 at the historic space base, where technicians hydraulically hoisted the booster vertical. Access platforms raised into position around the Soyuz rocket for final launch preparations.

The launcher is topped with the Progress MS-06 supply ship, an unpiloted logistics freighter heading on a two-day voyage to the International Space Station.

Liftoff is set for 0920:13 GMT (5:20:13 a.m. EDT) Wednesday, or 3:20 p.m. local time at Baikonur.

The modernized Soyuz-2.1a booster, featuring redesigned third stage propellant tanks and a digital flight control computer, will deliver the Progress MS-06 spaceship to orbit less than nine minutes later. Immediately after separating from the Soyuz third stage, the resupply craft will extend its power-generating solar arrays and navigation antennas, kicking off a series of thruster burns to rendezvous with the space station.

Docking with the space stations Zvezda service module is scheduled for 1142 GMT (7:42 a.m. EDT) Friday after a radar-guided automated final approach.

Designated Progress 67P in the space stations sequence of crew and cargo vehicles, the upcoming Russian resupply mission will reach the research outpost nearly halfway through the visit of a SpaceX Dragon capsule that delivered nearly 6,000 pounds (2,700 kilograms) of experiments and equipment June 5.

The Progress MS-06 spaceship will carry around 2.5 metric tons (5,500 pounds) of cargo and supplies to the space station, according to a statement released by Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.

The supplies include dry cargo inside the ships pressurized compartment, fuel to refill the stations propulsion system, potable water, and high-pressure gases to replenish the research labs breathable atmosphere, Roscosmos said.

Four small satellites are set to launch inside the Progress MS-06 spacecrafts cabin for release by cosmonauts on a spacewalk later this year.

The Progress MS-06 supply ship will remain at the space station until December, when it will undock with a load of trash and re-enter the atmosphere for a destructive plunge over the South Pacific Ocean.

More photos of Sundays Soyuz rocket rollout are posted below.

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Soyuz booster rolls out for launch with space station cargo freighter - Spaceflight Now

SpaceX aims to restore damaged launch pad to service by end of summer – Spaceflight Now

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File photo of the damaged strongback tower at Complex 40 shortly after the Sept. 1 Falcon 9 rocket explosion. Credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now

Construction crews at Cape Canaverals Complex 40 launch pad are busily repairing and upgrading the facility after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded there last year, with the pads return to service scheduled before the end of the summer, clearing the way for final preparations for the triple-core Falcon Heavys maiden flight late this year.

Once pad 40 is ready for launches again, SpaceX will have two active pads in Florida to help the company ramp up its launch rate. All of SpaceXs Falcon 9 flights from Florida since a rocket explosion at pad 40 on Sept. 1 have taken off from pad 39A, an Apollo- and shuttle-era launch complex at NASAs Kennedy Space Center.

The resumption of launches from pad 40 will allow SpaceX to complete modifications of nearby pad 39A for the Falcon Heavy. Officials rushed pad 39A into service earlier this year for Falcon 9 flights last years explosion left pad 40 unusable.

Investigators traced the rocket explosion, which occurred during fueling before a pre-launch hold-down firing, to a high-pressure helium tank on the Falcon 9s second stage.

Falcon 9 rocket flights resumed in January from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and launches from pad 39A began Feb. 19 with a space station resupply mission.

The state of Florida is contributing $5 million through Space Florida, an economic development agency focused on the aerospace industry, to help pay for upgrades at pad 40. The money was approved at a Space Florida board meeting June 1 to go toward an improved flame trench and enhanced acoustic suppression capability at pad 40, Dale Ketcham, Space Floridas chief of strategic alliances, wrote in an email to Spaceflight Now.

SpaceX is expected to outfit pad 40 for a higher launch rate once the facility is back in service, using lessons learned at pad 39A, which can support launches in as little as every two weeks in its current configuration.

Once pad 40 is operational, SpaceX plans to relocate all of its East Coast launches there while construction crews return to pad 39A to ready it for the inaugural test flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket, a triple-body booster that will lift off on the power more than 5 million pounds of thrust from 27 Merlin 1D engines.

The heavy-lifter is made of three Falcon 9 first stage boosters bolted together, plus a single-engine upper stage. SpaceX says it can loft 63.8 metric tons (140,660 pounds) of payload to low Earth orbit, a regime several hundred miles above Earth, or 26.7 metric tons (58,860 pounds) to geostationary transfer orbit, a popular higher-altitude destination for commercial communications satellites.

Those figures assume SpaceX disposes of the Falcon Heavys boosters, but officials plan to land two of the side-mounted stages at Cape Canaveral following the maiden flight. The center core will land on a recovery platform downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.

The recovery maneuvers require the Falcon Heavy to keep a reserve of kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants, reducing the weight of satellites it can carry into orbit.

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk tweeted Thursday that the three Falcon Heavy first stage boosters should be shipped to Florida in two or three months, with the maiden flight approximately one month later. If that schedule materializes, launch could happen as soon as September.

But that is likely a best case scenario, assuming preparations to configure pad 39A for the Falcon Heavy go perfectly.

The two side boosters on the first Falcon Heavy rocket will be reused Falcon 9 first stages, according to SpaceX.

A series of countdown rehearsals are also on tap, and the Falcon Heavys 27 main engines will be test-fired at pad 39A before SpaceX clears the rocket for liftoff, providing an opportunity for engineers to tune the launcher and ground systems.

Meanwhile, SpaceXs rapid-fire launch cadence continues with a flight next Saturday, June 17, with Bulgarias first communications satellite. The launch from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center at 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT) will use a previously-flown Falcon 9 first stage booster recovered after a liftoff from California in January.

SpaceX will attempt to recover the first stage again on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

A batch of 10 next-generation Iridium communications satellites will blast off on another Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base on June 25 at 4:24:59 p.m. EDT (2024:59 GMT), followed on July 1 by a Falcon 9 launch from Florida at 7:35 p.m. EDT (2335 GMT) with the Intelsat 35e broadband relay craft.

Both of those missions will fly with entirely new launch vehicles.

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SpaceX aims to restore damaged launch pad to service by end of summer - Spaceflight Now

Insider Q & A: From concept to reality KSC as a Multi-User Spaceport – SpaceFlight Insider

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Jason Rhian

June 11th, 2017

Much publicity has been given to efforts to make Kennedy Space Center a Multi-User Spaceport but what does that mean exactly and how do commercial companies stand to benefit from this new policy? Photo Credit: NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. Anyone who spends time in or around Floridas Space Coast has heard one phrase repeatedly use in the past few years Multi-User Spaceport. What does that mean? To find out, SFI spoke with two NASA representatives intimately aware with the agencys efforts to expand the diverse array of organizations operating out of the center.

What does this mean for the space agency? How do private space companys stand to gain by becoming a member of this new effort? To find out, SpaceFlight Insider spoke to Kennedy Space Centers Director of the Center Planning and Development Directorate, Tom Engler andPhilip Meade, the Chief ofthe Spaceport Management Integration Division.

SFI: In terms of the SLS,we saw the X-37B coming in, weve seen race cars out there, weve seen motorcycles, the Global Flyer, and now the Air Force is using the Shuttle Landing Facility. SpaceX is using 39A, which of course is where Apollo 11 launched from, and youve got the OPFs, which Boeing had basically taken over. So theres a lot more participants, more people in the mix out at Kennedy now, but its still your property. So SpaceX has launched commercial missions off of 39A. How does that work in terms of your normal operations. I mean, are you working with SpaceX now, even though these missions really have nothing to do with NASA?

Meade: So the real answer is that theres a new normal. The normal has changed. And becoming a multi-user spaceport is not just something we woke up one day and said, Look, were a spaceport. It was an intentional strategy that the center undertook to become a multi-user spaceport. Associated with that is developing all of the processes, all of the procedures, policies, all the different operational capabilities required to be a multi-user spaceport, because doing the type of work that we do out hereyou know, its large.

It has the ability to impact other users of the spaceport very easily, so theres a strong need to have that core integration and management function of the spaceport. And so when you ask how does our new normal account for that, the new normal is really that we are the manager, operator, the integrator of the spaceport.

So we have that as a new core role for us, so rather than just being purely programs that are NASA programs that operate out herethey manage and integrate within themselveswe now have to have, in addition to that, an overarching layer of spaceport management and integration, which is my organization, to make sure that youre coordinating among all of the different users, and making sure that they get their services that they need.

SFI: One of the hardest questions Im going to have is Why? Why is NASA doing this, because again, this really has nothing to do with NASA. So what is the benefit for the agency, and I guess in the larger scheme, the American taxpayer?

Dr. Phillip T. Meade spoke at length with SpaceFlight Insider, explaining how both commercial companies and NASA were working to diversify the space agencys Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Meade:I think the real benefitand Tom is a great salesman of this as well, so you can probably get his take on this, toobut it really is about the American public, it is about the American taxpayer. If you look at the space policy thats been created, theres a strong encouragement for us to help and encourage and grow the ability for America to compete and to excel within the global space market. And so weve been encouraged by the federal government to make the maximum use or maximum availability of our assets for supporting commercial space.

SFI: Would you say that the concept there is that if you have a single product and no one needs that product anymore, youre in more jeopardy, but whereas if a facility like Kennedy has a diverse array of individuals both collaborating and working there, its more stable and productive and more likely to survive changes in the future?

Engler:I think theres a little bit of that in there, and I think that by utilizing some resources that we probably would demolished or let go, we do keep those around for potential future use by NASA if in the future we want to share those; or if a partner thats using them goes away and we find theyre suddenly available and we have a programmatic need for them, so there is that piece of it. But we believeand this is kind of a philosophical stancewe believe its in the nations best interests to have a healthy space capability, healthy access to space.

Thats not just NASA, but the commercial capability, so our ability to put satellites up thereour ability to continue to push the technological boundaries to do innovation and develop new technologies and new capabilities to bring high-paying jobs into the economy through these different companiesI feel like thats a very valuable thing for America, and so having a healthy space industry in the United States and being a true competitor and leader within the global space market, we believe is the best interests of the United States as a whole, and obviously the American taxpayer.

SFI: Boeing of course is benefitingfrom this. Space Florida is another winner, if you want to say that, SpaceX, of coursetheyre all benefitingfrom these really high-end facilities that you support for launch and other operations.How do you see the response to that, and is there an ROI (return on investment) on that?

Engler:So I think from our perspectiveand Phil hit the nail on the headour leadership, from the President in 2010 on down to Center Director and Deputy Center Director at the time set the vision for us, to become that multi-user spaceport. And so, by doing so, we created an environment that allowed multiple companies to be successful here.

You hit the nail on the head with a couple of them. What wed kind of like to highlight with that is, as a center, we have four companies here, doing human spaceflight activities, separate and distinct. In the context of human spaceflight, theres only been three countries that ever flew to space: the United States, China, and Russia. Now at Kennedy we have four companiesSpaceX, Blue Origin, Lockheed-Martin with Orion, and Boeing with CST-100performing human spaceflight operations and development and capability here at Kennedy Space Center.

The creation of the environment weve developed here, weve made an environment that has allowed these companies to come in here and be successful, and that makes America a better spacefaring nation than it probably ever has been before.

SFI:youve got United Launch Alliance

Engler:We do, and we supply services to them through the Spaceport Integration Services Division. The ability to support these launches and having the infrastructure here that really minimized their investment into the development of a spaceport is a win-win for everybody. So we have people that come incompanies that come in, use the capabilities, and pay for pieces of that capability as theyre using it, so it helps us from a cost perspective, and having that capability already there prevents them from having to develop a massive, expensive capability to do things like develop and deliver GN2 [gaseous nitrogen] as an example, or helium.

Having the ability to supply that to all the launch pads is a tremendous enabler for these companies. And so ULA, SpaceX, SLS, and now Blue [Origin] are all going to take advantage of all the infrastructure we have here and the talents weve developed over the last 50-plus years as an entity that launches rockets to space, so theres so many benefits to both sides to having these companies here, so its really a win-win for everybody having them here.

Its been a great benefit to the center, and Id like to thinkand the feedback Im gettingis that its been a benefit to these companies as well, so all in all its been a very positive relationship, and I think it will just continue to grow and get better as we go on.

Meade:If you look at the space industry, a basic analysis of the industry tells you that theres a huge barrier to entry to launch, and its not just because of the technology involved in the rocket, its the infrastructure. We help to shorten both the time required for that buildup of the ground infrastructure as well as the costs associated with that for these companies, so they can get to market faster and become profitable faster and also not have to sink so much in up front on developing a lot of this infrastructure.

SpaceX is just one of the organizations that has benefited from NASAs Multi-User Spaceport initiative. Photo Credit: SpaceX

SFI:The last question we have for this portion of the interview is, can you tell us a little bit about the coordination involved when youve got DoD and these commercial companies all working out of KSC? What are the differences between the Shuttle era and the Apollo era before that and now, when weve got Falcon 9s and Falcon Heavies ready to lift off from 39A?

Meade:Theres two answers to this question. The world had changedand Ill probably talk about that secondbut if you talk about the way things were done under Shuttle, and if you talk about using a traditional flight termination system with the Air Force Range, then things have not changed that significantly than how they were done with Shuttle.

We have a very tight partnership with the 45th Space Wing, we coordinate with them a lot. We participate in their meetings, were part of their scheduling process, as theyre part of our scheduling process. All of the range infrastructure capabilities are constantly coordinated between the two groups, between Kennedy Space Center and the 45th Space Wing. All of that still happens the way it always has.

The big differentiator, the big change thats occurred is a lot of these commercial companies are going to automated flight termination systems. And when you go to an AFTS, now all of a sudden, a lot of the range infrastructure, a lot of the range coordination and scheduling that was required previously you no longer have.

Theres still range assets that they use, theres still a significant role, an important role that the Air Force plays in launches from Kennedy Space Center, but the huge bottleneck that used to be therefrom only one user at a time could actually operate on the range, and youd have to block off multiple days, and there was a two-day turnaround time between when one user of the range could use it and the next user couldwere entering into a time period where you honestly could have two different companies launch a rocket on the same day from Kennedy Space Center.

I honestly believe theres nothing thats stopping us from doing that today, assuming that other resources like the pipeline and other things like that are deconflicted. So one of the things that Toms working really hard on is a small-class launcher capability here at Kennedy Space Center

SFI: 39C?

Thomas O. Engler serves as the director of the Center Planning and Development Directorate at NASAs John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Engler:39C or 48/49, thats part of our Notice of Availabilitythat we have two launch sites available if a private investor wanted to come in and build a small rocket launch pad, 48 and 49 are perfect locations for that. And that would allow a company to come in and do their own launches from there or allow it to become a multi-user small launcher pad. It creates diversity and allows companies to be a little more flexible from a launch perspective than they would be with just 39C. It opens up a lot of possibilities with the development of an additional small-launcher pad launch site.

Meade: Theres no reason a rocket couldnt launch from 48 and on the same day, SpaceX could launch from [39]A.

SFI: You think we could see thattwo launches on a single day?

Meade: Yes.

Engler: I agree with Phil. Its just a matter of deconflicting time frames and ensuring that when one launch happens that theres enough of a separation between launches that one launch doesnt endanger people on the other launch pad during their prep work.

SFI:Have you seenhave there been any bites toward your call for 48 or 49?

Engler:Weve had several expressions of interest, yeah.

SFI:Thank you. Moving on to the OPFs. One of the OPFs is currently used for Starliner and the other two are used by Boeing for the X-37B. Can you provide our readers with some of the details about how diversification is helping NASA achieve its objectives?

Engler:So if you look at it from the perspective of the fact that we have two companies here supporting commercial crew directly. So SpaceX and Boeing are developing capabilities to fly humans to space from the United States for the first time since the end of the Shuttle program. That directly supports NASA.

Indirectly, you get the support of those companies to the overall evolution of commercial space in general, so if you ever hear Mr. Bigelow speak from Bigelow Aerospace, the thing thats limiting him right now from launching his capabilities to orbit is reliable transportation for crew at a commercial level to orbit.

So the development of commercial crew and having that capability here will be that enabler for that next evolution of commercial space, which would be to potentially privately-held space stations and probably further development that I cant even begin to imagine, or if I did, it would probably sound crazy if I tried to imagine it. Over time, theres space mining, theres all these things that are floating out there that depend on reliably, easily getting people to space.

SFI: I dont think a lot of our readers are going to think youre crazy, I think a lot of our readers are like, Why arent we already doing this?

Engler: Well, its a great question, and were doing a lot of work to make that happen here at Kennedy. And, again, having created that environment here, having created the partnerships, having four separate companies doing human spaceflight here ought to excite your readers to the point where theyI mean it excites us to no end, the sea change thats occurred here. Weve all said thatits going to sound immodestbut we have become the epicenter of human spaceflight in the world here at Kennedy Space Center.

By having these companies be here, creating that environment for them and allowing them to work and do the things they need to do here to develop those capabilitiesit really speaks a lot to how far Kennedy has come since 2010 and the inception of the multi-user spaceport concept.

Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is being developed and produced at Orbiter Processing Facility 3, something made possible by KSCs Multi-User Spaceport initiative. Image Credit: Boeing

Meade: As early as the Vision for Space Exploration, when it came out, the plan from a NASA and U.S. Government perspective was [to] turn over low-Earth orbit to commercial industry so that NASA can then go and focus on putting footprints on other worlds.

SFI: Moon, Mars, and Beyond.

Meade:Exactly. So thats a big part of what were leveraging and dependent on from the Boeings and the SpaceXes, is to be able to, through the commercial crew program, take our astronauts up to the International Space Station, be able to make access to low-Earth orbit a little more routine, and free us up to then focus on trips to Mars and developing the SLS and that architecture. It is definitely helping us achieve our goals.

SFI: NASAs giving up all these assets, so theyre not theirs anymore. Thats technically correct, but what kind of access does NASA have to 39A, to the OPFs, now that theyre not technically their property anymore? Whats that like?

Meade: So Im going to correct you just a little bit

SFI: Please do!

Meade:Technically it is our property, so we havent given over any title to land or property at Kennedy Space Center. What weve done is Toms group has developed leases and these other mechanisms that we have at our disposal to basically rent out or lease property. Now its long-term leases in most cases because we need to help to be able to help these companies close a business case.

Its long-term leases, but its still NASA property. And so with that, we still retain ownership, long-term, and the secondarily it also means that we retain some of the responsibilities from a protection of life safety standpoint and from an overall spaceport management integration perspective. We do have the ability to enter these facilities. We would not do so just willy-nilly.

You know, its like youre a landlord, you dont just walk into someones house

SFI: Youd contact them first

Meade:We have good coordination with them, and we have individuals in my organization that are assigned to directly work with each partner that we have, and they have a good relationship. They help them get what they need, and theyre the ones that are the boots on the ground, typically, if we have to gain entry in or go in and do something. On Pad A for example, we still have a lot of facilities and systems that are required by Pad B, and so theres an awful lot of interchange between NASA and SpaceX in terms of going in and working on those systems, but we coordinate with them and schedule around them because we dont want to interfere with their ops schedule and what theyre doing.

If there were a fire, for example, our fire [department] would still have the ability to go into their facility and put out the fire. EMS, same thing: if theres some sort of medical emergency, and so we do have that ability, and we still retain that. A bit part of our goal, and a lot of what Tom and I have been working on over the past few years is trying to create this environment that Tom was talking about where its very much conducive to commercial entities wanting to come here and work and do business.

Which means that we treat them with the appropriate amount of respect and respect their operations, respect their schedules, respect their business cases, and actually partner with them in achieving their goals rather thanwere not trying to be this government overlord thats trying to mandate or have a heavy thumb on stuff.

A lot of the processes that I talked about earlierwe radically changed the safety requirements and came up with three different categories of safety requirements depending on what type of facility youre in to try and minimize the amount of oversight that we would have; minimize our need to intrude on their operation or be involved in it; and minimize their requirement to actually have to come to us and ask permission for much. We try to give them the maximum autonomy possible.

SFI: I think that answers the first of my general questions, which was how have these agreements changed from when it was McDonnell-Douglas out here, Lockheed, Rockwell, and so on?

Engler:At the time, those were more contracts than agreements, so the big change for us is having these companies on center as partners, us providing services to them, and sometimes them providing services to us. Having these companies out here has created an environment where were able to utilize our on-site contractors and civil service staff to help support them when they need it, and when they dont, were off doing other things, so its a different environment from that standpoint because weve gone from a contracting relationship to a partnership relationship, which is where we are with these companies.

Engler and Meade noted the close working relationship that the agency has with all of the partners operating out of KSC. Photo Credit: NASA

Meade: In some cases, its literally flipped. Whereas McDonnell-Douglas, for example, if you go back that far, they worked for us. So we were the customer and they worked for us. Nownot so much with the partnership agreements, per se, but through the services agreementswe work for the commercial entities. So we actually act as a subcontractor to them in many cases. SpaceX, for example, may choose to buy propellants from us for a launch. We become a service provider to them and we subcontract to them for those propellants for that launch.

SFI: So I imagine that actually could be used to offset NASAs expenses here at Kennedy.

Engler: Well, really what it does is it allows them to buy into a service that we already have here, it doesnt necessarily offset costs. They pay for what they use and it doesnt necessarily save us any monies, per se, but it does allow them to work and have ready access to those propellants.

We have Air Liquide outside the gate here providing GN2 is big enabler for these guys because they dont have to create that capability on their own, so weve got that in partnership with Air Liquide. Under that contractual relationship, they supply the propellants, and so they pay for what they use, which is a nice thing. We dont underwrite them, and when theyre using electricity from FP&L [Florida Power & Light], they paying the bills for that, and water from Cocoa Water, and all that kind of stuff, so its just the capabilities we provide, Phils group manages that interaction with them to ensure we give them services at the time that they need it.

SFI: How might NASA use the SLF [Shuttle Landing Facility] in the future?

Meade:Theres plans to use SLF. Its built into the agreement with Space Florida that we still have the ability to land our NASA aircraft out there. Weve got a Guppy coming in next week, weve got a NASA Guppy thats coming in, bringing in something for the Orion service module.

Its still an asset we have at our disposal, to be able to bring things in. You know, once we start launching our astronauts, Im sure theyll be using that runway to land their T-38s. Its still a capability that we have. None of our current vehicles plan on reentering from space and landing there, its more of an aircraft capability for us at this point.

SFI: Can you give our readers a little more about the future, to bring more companies in and the diversification that we might see out here? Some sneak peeks, if you will.

Engler: So what Id point to is a Notice of Availability that we have that has opened up a number of different development categories for companies, so anywhere from clean energy to research and technology and research and development to launch and landing to payload processing and vehicle processing. So those sites are all available, theyre all on the master plan, you can go to the KSC Master Plan website. Itll show you the development map that we have, and so basically every development category thats on that master plan site is available for development.

The Notice of Availability is open, its almost done with its first year, and weve had a number of responses to that already. Its open for two years, total, and well have another one that follows that. It allows companies to come in and propose to building at KSC, so when you look at the ability to foster development between what we have and then what Space Florida has at the SLF, theres a lot of development that still can occur here to continue to diversify Kennedy Space Center to enhance the multi-user spaceport that weve created.

To see us do more and more activities hereits really exciting to look at what might be here a year from now that isnt here now. And then see that keeping on growing and moving forward and continuing to do the basics of getting Americans to space and getting the world to space through Kennedy Space Center, its a really exciting time to be here. And its only going to get better!

Meade:Yeah, if you look at our long-term vision, its really about what we call creating an ecosystem. We want to have a healthy ecosystem out here for all the different pieces, parts, components to doing spaceflight. We want to have manufacturing out here, we want to have lab services out here right on hand, we want to have people actually launching the rockets, we want to have people developing payloads.

Really, its about the whole supply chain. And so when you ask, What are we thinking about in the future? if you look at the economics for how that ecosystem has to develop, it has to start with [?] launcher. Weve got those, were starting to launch. Were now starting to push down that supply chain, so Toms out there beating the bushes trying to push further down that supply chain to get those people to come down here and create those R&D capabilities and other further-down parts of that supply chain.

SFI: That brings up a very good question. Youve got all these components, but now youve got right outside your gate Exploration Park. OneWebtheyre building satellites out here. Were you guys involved with that, or was that just something that happened because of the assets that you havewould you say thats an outgrowth of the multi-user spaceport concept?

Meade: Id say thats certainly part of it. And obviously having that here at Kennedy is a nice addition to the Kennedy Space Center, its another manufacturing capability. Not on a scale like Blue [Origin], but from a satellite perspective, its as big. Blues development site is in Exploration Park as well, and its part of what were trying to do here at Kennedy.

Again, weve made that land available to Space Florida as part of the Exploration Park ecosystem out there, and obviously its now borne fruit between Blue and Space Florida and OneLab. Building on that over time, we fully expect to see more of those kinds of capabilities being built here by private companies that want to take advantage of the environment that we have developed here at Kennedy as a multi-user spaceport.

Tagged: Kennedy Space Center Lead Stories Multi-User Spaceport NASA Phil Meade Tom Engler

Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.

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Insider Q & A: From concept to reality KSC as a Multi-User Spaceport - SpaceFlight Insider

Deep Space Network providing communications for over 50 years – SpaceFlight Insider

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Lloyd Campbell

June 11th, 2017

The 70-meter antenna at the Madrid Deep Space Network Complex (MDSCC) in Spain. Photo Credit: NASA

The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) comprises three sites across the globe which provide telecommunications with interplanetary spacecraft located throughout the Solar System and beyond.

The complexes, located in California, Spain, and Australia, are spaced roughly equidistant from each other, approximately 120 degrees apart in longitude from the neighboring site. This spacing allows continuous communications with any spacecraft while the Earth rotates. All of the sites are located in a semi-mountainous terrain which helps shield them from unwanted radio interference.

Each site contains a minimum of four large antennas ranging from 26 meters up to 70 meters in diameter and is capable of providing continuous radio communications with several spacecraft at the same time. A single processing center at each complex contains all the equipment needed to operate the antennas, receive and process data, as well as send commands to the spacecraft for course corrections, instrument control, and so on.

The large parabolic dishes at each site, as well as the sensitive systems that detect and amplify the signals, allow technicians here on Earth to receive very faint signals from spacecraft millions of miles away.

The antennas pick up not only the faint signals from spacecraft millions of miles away but also receive a lot of background radio noise. Background radio noise, or static, is emitted by almost all objects in the universe; therefore, just in the Solar System, you have the Sun, the eight planets and their associated moons, numerous dwarf planets, and other celestial objects (e.g., comets, asteroids, etc.) all producing static.

In order to clean up the transmission that the antenna receives, each site uses special techniques to distinguish the spacecraft telecommunication from the background noise. Once complete, the data is sent to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where further processing takes place. Once JPL completes its work, the data is sent on to the mission team for each spacecraft.

In order to receive theweak spacecraft signals from far away, large antennasare needed. Each DSN site has one 70-meter (230-foot) diameter antenna capable of tracking and communicating with a spacecraft that has traveled millions, even billions, of miles from Earth. Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is currently over 12 billion miles (over 20 billion kilometers) from Earth and is still being tracked by the DSN 70-meter antenna.

Originally built as a 64-meter (210-foot) antenna, the Goldstone Observatory antenna was expanded to 70 meters to allow it to track Voyager 2 during its encounter with Neptune.

In addition to the mammoth 70-meter antenna, each of the three DSN complexes has multiple 34-meter (111-foot) diameter antennas.

Two types of 34-meter antennas are used: the first is a high-efficiency antenna, whereas the second type is a waveguide antenna. The waveguide antenna has five additional mirrors that reflect the radio signal to an equipment room below. The advantages of this design are that the sensitive electronics are stored in a climate controlled room right at the antenna site instead of outdoors. Also, maintenance and upgrades are much easier to perform with this design.

Last of all is the 26-meter (85-foot) antenna which is used for tracking spacecraft in orbit around Earth up to 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) above the surface. Originally built to support the Apollo missions, they utilize a special mount that allows them point lower on the horizon than the larger antenna.

Spacecraft that are millions, even billions, of miles from Earth cant send their signals to a specific point that far away. The radio waves disperse over a wider field and, by the time they reach Earth, one antenna receives only a part of that faint signal.

In order to gather in the entire signal, the DSN engineers came up with antenna arraying where multiple antennas at different complexes work together as a single antenna.

The first use of arraying by the DSN was employed for theVoyager 1, Voyager 2, and Pioneer 11spacecraft. Experimental arrays were also used when the two Voyager probes zoomed past Jupiter in 1979 and again when Pioneer 11 encountered Saturn that same year.

Utilizing what they had learned, the DSN engineers developed better techniques to increase the sensitivity of their arrays, and by the time Voyager 1 and Voyager 2had encountered Saturn in 1980 and 1981, respectively, all three of the complexes used arraying extensively to receive data from the speeding spacecraft.

When Voyager 2 flew by Neptune in 1989, the DSN engineers had honed their techniques such that they were able to combine their own array of antennas at their Goldstone site with 27 antennas at the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico.

The 64-meter antenna diagram. Image Credit: NASA

The predecessor of the DSN was built in January 1958 by JPL for the U.S. Army to provide them with required telecommunication facilities for their then soon-to-be-launched Explorer 1 satellite.

At 10:48 p.m. EST on Jan. 31 (03:48 GMT on Feb. 1), 1958,Explorer 1 became the first successfully deployed U.S. satellite, and the portable tracking stations that were deployed by JPL in Nigeria, Singapore, and California received telemetry data which assisted mission controllers to track the spacecraft.

At the time, all three branches of the armed forces had their own space-exploration programs, and, in October 1958, NASA was formed to combine all of their programs into one civilian organization. Two months later, JPL was transferred to NASA, and one of their first designated projects was to develop robotic spacecraft to perform lunar and planetary exploration.

NASA soon proposed the concept of the Deep Space Network a dedicated communications facility that would support all deep space missions. Designed to be independent of the robotic missions it supported, the DSN would design and build the network and provide its services to the individual missions.

The network benefits were two-fold: each mission and the DSN would be focused on their equipment only, and it eliminated each robotic mission from developing their own communications systems.

While originally designated for only use with robotic missions, the DSN also played a part in the historic Apollo missions to the Moon.

Manned missions had their own dedicated communications network named the Manned Space Flight Network (MSFN) for receiving and sending of lunar communications and telemetry data. The MSFN sites were designed by the DSN, and both networks had sites that were located in proximity to each other.

Throughout the Apollo missions, DSN antennas were used for all of the television broadcasts from the surface of the Moon. Neil Armstrongs historic words Thats one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind were actually received by a 64-meter wide DSN antenna, named the Mars antenna, located at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) in California.

During the Apollo 13 emergency, the DSN complexes all played an important role in maintaining constant communication with the crew.

While the television images of men on the Moon were historic, many unmanned missions beamed memorable images and data back to the DSN.

Years before the two Voyager probes took us on a tour of the Solar System, Mariner 4 sent back the first ever close-up pictures of Mars during its flyby in 1964. Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it went into orbit around Mars in 1971. It sent back the first detailed images of the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos.

Canberra (Australia) Deep Space Network Complex (CDSCC). Photo Credit: NASA

Viking 1 and Viking 2 traveled to Mars in 1975, arriving at the planet in 1976. They released landers which soft-landed and sent back the first pictures from the surface of the Red Planet.

Since then, numerous orbiters, landers, and rovers have sent back extraordinary images of the Martian surface. Opportunity, a rover which landed in January 2004 on a 90-day mission, is still performing and returning images and data from the surface 13 years later. The Curiosity rover is nearing its fifth anniversary of roaming the Martian surface as it moves about the Gale crater.

NASA is keeping the DSN facilities very busy with a number of active missions still ongoing. With better designs increasing the reliability of the spacecraft and rovers, its becoming almost commonplace for missions to be extended beyond their initial timelines. For example, Cassini, a mission to Saturn and its rings, was originally scheduled for a 4-year mission and, after two extensions,will finish up its 13-year mission this year.

In that nine-year span, NASA has launched many additional missions, all of which require communications time with the DSN. In all, there are 35 active missions requiring the DSN for communications today. With more spacecraft being built that are expected to transmit even heavier data streams, along with more missions being extended, that number of active missions can be expected to increase.

While the DSN has been spectacularly reliable in the past, a few issues have cropped up recently, including one where the Cassini spacecraft was supposed to make a course correction. However, when the time came to transmit the course correction commands to Cassini, there was a problem with the communications link, so Cassini never got its instructions and missed the course correction. The problem, it turned out to be, was with the DSN and not the spacecraft.

While new antennas, equipment, and infrastructure have been put in place since the original complexes were built, some of the equipment, like the 70-meter dish, are over half century old.

Like other areas of NASA, the DSN has been asked to do more with less. The problem in the future for them will be how to maintain necessary communications while still maintaining and upgrading their equipment to support the increasing demands being made on them, all within a shrinking budget.

If you would like to see which spacecraft the Deep Space Networkis communicating with at any given time, then go to the NASA website: DSNNow

Tagged: Deep Space Network Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA The Range

Lloyd Campbells first interest in space began when he was a very young boy in the 1960s with NASAs Gemini and Apollo programs. That passion continued in the early 1970s with our continued exploration of our Moon, and was renewed by the Shuttle Program. Having attended the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on its final two missions, STS-131, and STS-133, he began to do more social networking on space and that developed into writing more in-depth articles. Since then hes attended the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, the agencys new crew-rated Orion spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test 1, and multiple other uncrewed launches. In addition to writing, Lloyd has also been doing more photography of launches and aviation. He enjoys all aspects of space exploration, both human, and robotic, but his primary passions lie with human exploration and the vehicles, rockets, and other technologies that allow humanity to explore space.

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Deep Space Network providing communications for over 50 years - SpaceFlight Insider

Photos: India’s GSLV Mk.3 debuts with on-target test flight – Spaceflight Now

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Indias new GSLV Mk.3 launcher delivered to orbit the GSAT 19 communications satellite Monday, and these photos show the rocket lifting off from a launch pad on the eastern Indian coastline powered by two side-mounted solid rocket boosters.

The GSLV Mk.3 took offat 1158 GMT (7:58 a.m. EDT) Monday from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, a spaceport on Indias east coast around 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Chennai.

The 142-foot-tall (43-meter) rocket soared into mostly clear skies over Sriharikota, where launch occurred at 5:28 p.m. local time, on 2.2 million pounds of thrust from solid rocket boosters. A liquid-fueled core stage and cryogenic upper stage later fired to propel the GSAT 19 communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.

Mondays flight was the maiden orbital test launch of the GSLV Mk.3, which completed a suborbital demo mission in December 2014 without a functional upper stage. The GSLV Mk.3 is Indias most powerful rocket to date, doubling the capability of Indias GSLV Mk.2 launcher to lift up to 8,800 pounds (4 metric tons) into geostationary transfer orbit, the drop-off point for most communications satellites.

Read our full story for details on the mission.

These photos show the GSLV Mk.3 rollout out to the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota, followed by Mondays liftoff.

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Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.

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Photos: India's GSLV Mk.3 debuts with on-target test flight - Spaceflight Now

This Week in Forsyth County History: June 11-17 – Forsyth County News Online

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June 12, 2008

Since at least 2008, plans for Lanier Golf Course have been in the works, though it wasnt until earlier this year that the current Board of Commissioners finally approved the courses development.

June 14, 1987

Water parks are a summer staple every child loves. Though many things have changed in the last 30 years, the concept of traveling down a long slide in a tube has not.

June 11, 1999

Forsyth County currently contracts with Central EMS for its ambulance services. Eighteen years ago, the county used Advance Ambulance Inc., though a May review of the service was highly critical.

June 16, 2011

Two men were charged with illegally cutting down a tree and leaving it in the middle of Hwy. 20 on June 2. According to this story, they dragged it along the highway before abandoning it in the middle of the busy road.

June 12, 2004

Riverwatch Middle and Shiloh Point Elementary schools, while now staples in the county, were only built just over a decade ago. Two new high schools are currently being built.

June 13, 1940

More than 75 years ago, Forsyth Countys first theater, the Frances Theatre, and only showed good, clean, wholesome and educational pictures. The theater cost $7,500 and was named for the youngest daughter of Mayor Roy Otwell.

June 17, 1965

Brenda Hubbard of Chestatee High School signed a contract in 1965 to play with the professional All-American Red Heads, a professional womens team based in Caraway, Arkansas. The team played across the U.S., Mexico and Canada and was billed as the world championship girls professional team.

June 11, 1970

There must have been more room in the county in 1970. That year, the federal census found the county had a population of 16,436, up more than 4,000 from 1960. In 2016, the countys population was estimated at 221,009.

June 17, 1965

In 1965, readers were given a history of the countys namesake, John Forsyth. Forsyth was the 33rd governor of Georgia also served in the U.S. House and Senate and was Secretary of State from 1834-1841 under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

June 16, 1977

Forsyth County is now home to many restaurants and other stores selling alcohol, but none of that may have been possible without a referendum in 1977 for voters to decide whether alcohol sales should be allowed in the county, which was approved by commissioners after a long and controversial discussion.

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Curiosity and irritation meet Macron’s effort to lure foreign scientists to France – Science Magazine

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French Embassy in the U.S./Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

By Elisabeth PainJun. 10, 2017 , 12:00 PM

Just a few hours after President Donald Trump announced on 1 June that the United States was withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged in a video to make our planet great again by intensifying efforts to combat climate change -- and inviting U.S. researchers who might be unhappy with Trump to work in France.

The French government followed up on 8 June by unveiling a website aimed at attracting foreign scientists with 4-year grants worth up to 1.5million each.

But while some U.S. researchers say the invitation is intriguing, it has irritated some French scientists, who say the move raises concerns about their nations commitment to homegrown science. In particular, some French researchers are disappointed that the new Macron government offered grants to foreign researchers before answering their own recent call to shore up funding for struggling research institutes.

Instead [of a commitment to stable domestic science funding], we get a fancy website which is more an empty shell than anything else, says Olivier Bern, an astrophysicist and CNRS researcher at the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetologyin Toulouse. He helped organize the March for Science in France, as well as a letter from 1,500 scientists to Frances research minister that spelled out 10 funding priorities for the new government.

The new recruiting website is the result of roundtable discussions among government ministers, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and economic representatives that took place last week. It asks researchers to fill out a short form asking why they want to fight climate change and to describe their proposed research. It offers 4-year grants of up to 1.5million for scientists with more than 15 years experience,and 1Mfor scientists with more than 2 years experience following their Ph.D. It says grant winners will get French residency rights -- and their spouses the right to work and promises to deal with the administrative and practical issues associated with the relocation.

At first, some French scientists thought the website was a fake, says Bern, in part because it doesnt specify how many grants are available or where the funding is coming from. But after it became clear it was real, some also became annoyed at what they saw as more of a communications campaign than a commitment to tackling climate change. The effort is not at the level of what French research really requires today to be a leader on the international scene, says Bern. Hed rather see the government first commit to funding French laboratories properly, he says. Then, when this is done, all the scientists including those working on climate change can work properly, and can invite American colleagues also to come.

Both a publicity stunt and a real opportunity.

One U.S. scientist, David Blockstein of the nonprofit National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington, D.C., sees Macron's invitation as both a publicity stunt and a real opportunity. He believes it is not likely many American scientists will take up the offer, but says the invitation offers a sharp contrast to an increasingly hostile U.S. political environment for science.

But some key questions, Blockstein adds, are whether France will also offer increased opportunities to its own scientists to collaborate with their colleagues, and whether funding for American scientists will cause competition and resentment from French scientists.

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Meet Your Lucky Stars: NASA Announces A New Class Of Astronaut Candidates – NPR

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NASA's 2017 astronaut candidates round up for a group photo on Tuesday at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center. The 12 pictured are, front row, left to right, Zena Cardman, Jasmin Moghbeli, Robb Kulin, Jessica Watkins, Loral O'Hara; back row, left to right, Jonny Kim, Frank Rubio, Matthew Dominick, Warren Hoburg, Kayla Barron, Bob Hines and Raja Chari. NASA hide caption

NASA's 2017 astronaut candidates round up for a group photo on Tuesday at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center. The 12 pictured are, front row, left to right, Zena Cardman, Jasmin Moghbeli, Robb Kulin, Jessica Watkins, Loral O'Hara; back row, left to right, Jonny Kim, Frank Rubio, Matthew Dominick, Warren Hoburg, Kayla Barron, Bob Hines and Raja Chari.

Just as class lets out for the summer across the country, a new one has just been announced.

NASA has chosen 12 people from a pool of more than 18,300 applicants for two years of training before giving them the title of "astronaut."

The space agency received a record number of applicants after announcing an open application in December 2015.

Jasmin Moghbeli, one of the dozen candidates, spoke with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro from Houston's Johnson Space Center, where she'll undertake the training program starting in August.

Moghbeli, who says she's wanted to be an astronaut since the sixth grade, talked about what kind of candidate it takes to earn the coveted spot.

"Start looking into science, technology, engineering, math, those kinds of fields," the German-born, New York native says. But whatever you do, she says, love it.

"There were many other applicants that applied who were extremely qualified for this position that aren't lucky enough to be sitting up here like I am," she adds. "So make sure you're doing what you love. If I did not get the call saying, 'Hey can you join us here at NASA?' I still would've been extremely happy in the career that I was in."

The seven men and five women of the class bring an impressive resume to NASA: The astronaut candidates are an athletic crew and include former SpaceX employees, a marine biologist and half of them are military officers.

"You are the 12 who made it through, you have joined the elites, you are the best of us," Vice President Mike Pence said at a ceremony introducing the candidates Wednesday. "These are 12 men and women whose personal excellence and whose personal courage will carry our nation to even greater heights of discovery."

Current and alum NASA astronauts welcomed the newest class in a video last week.

You can find the full biographies of each new class member on NASA's site, or meet the candidates below the interview highlights.

NPR radio producer Malika Gumpangkum and editor Ed McNulty contributed to this report.

On the application and job interview process

It starts out a little underwhelming you just submit your resume on USAjobs[.gov] and, in addition to that, just my summary of my aeronautical experience so basically my piloting time. So that's the first step, as I said, very simple. But then from there, they select highly qualified applicants and send reference forms out to you, five of your references and then that's where it got interesting.

They slimmed it down to 120 applicants and they brought us in in groups of 10. The first round was three days of interviews you know, only three days I could say I got so close to that group of nine other people and we still keep in touch. And then, the final round, they pair it down to 50 people, and again, 10 at a time, but this time it's a week-long process. So you can imagine, you get really close with the other applicants, and I left that thinking: Wow, I want this job even more, based on the incredible people I've met, both at NASA and the applicants, but also thinking: if I don't get it, someone very deserving will get it, 'cause every single one of them had a very impressive resume.

On the toughest question she was asked

First they asked, three words friends would use to describe me, which, I didn't have a problem with that, but then they asked one word I would use to describe myself, and I don't know, it's just tough to pick one word. And out of nowhere I said, "intense," and I think I was just feeling intense in that moment in the interview, but I don't know that that's really the single word I would use to describe myself.

On wanting to be an astronaut from a young age

I did a book report on Valentina Tereshkova, the first female in space, got to dress up like her in school for a day. I'd always been interested in science, math, technology, that sort of thing always drew me in. And, added to that, the sense of adventure and exploration, you know, I thought space exploration was the coolest thing. So yeah, I've wanted to do this for a very long time.

On why so many people want to be an astronaut today

I think it's one of those things that ignites our imagination. I remember when I was a kid in history class, reading about the explorers who would travel across the ocean and discover new continents and, you know, different worlds to them at the time. And this is kind of our modern-day version of that. We're going off and exploring where we've never been before. One, the teamwork at NASA, I think people are pretty familiar with NASA's record and the incredible things that have been accomplished here. And it's just really impressive to see when you bring a group of smart, hardworking people together what you can accomplish. So, I think all those things get people excited and that's why it's almost like, even as an adult, gets you excited like a little kid.

On what she's being trained on

There are a lot of things on the horizon right now, I know learning about the systems on the [International] Space Station will be part of our training over the next two years. But they're training us, and like I said, there's a possibility of a range of missions that we could go into.

Right now, both Boeing and SpaceX are working on commercial crew vehicles the CST-100 Starliner and the Dragon vehicle. ... And then NASA itself is working on the Orion. So, a lot of new, exciting things coming up that we could potentially be doing in the near future. ... If they could assign me any mission, I'd be overjoyed.

On her message to young girls, particularly of color

That is one of the most exciting things about this job for me. Not just exploring space and that stuff but also getting the message out to the younger generation and getting them excited. If they can see someone similar to them that they can relate to more, then it makes it all that much more possible in their minds to imagine them doing this as well. So, to them I say, do what you love and do it well.

Jasmin Moghbeli, 33, major, U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown: Baldwin, N.Y.

Moghbeli earned a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering with Information Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. She's also a noted graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and has flown more than 1,600 hours and completed 150 combat missions.

Jasmin Moghbeli NASA hide caption

At the time of her selection, Moghbeli was testing H-1 helicopters and serving as the quality assurance and avionics officer for Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 of the U.S. Marine Corps in Yuma, Ariz.

Kayla Barron, 29, lieutenant, U.S. Navy

Kayla Barron NASA hide caption

Hometown: Richland, Wash.

She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, followed by a master's degree in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Cambridge. As a submarine warfare officer, Barron was part of the first class of women hired to the submarine community. She's currently the flag aide to the superintendent at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Zena Cardman, 29

Hometown: Williamsburg, Va.

Zena Cardman NASA hide caption

Cardman earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow is finishing her doctorate at Pennsylvania State, where she studies microorganisms in caves, deep sea sediments and other subterranean environments. Her fieldwork includes multiple Antarctic expeditions working as a scientist aboard research vessels, as well as NASA analog missions across North America.

Raja Chari, 39, lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force

Hometown: Cedar Falls, Iowa

Raja Chari NASA hide caption

He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with bachelor's degrees in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science, before earning a master's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and now serves as the commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at California's Edwards Air Force Base.

Matthew Dominick, 35, lieutenant commander, U.S. Navy

Matthew Dominick NASA hide caption

Hometown: Wheat Ridge, Colo.

Dominick earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of San Diego and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Dominick was at sea on the USS Ronald Reagan, heading the Strike Fighter Squadron 115, when he was selected as a candidate.

Bob Hines, 42

Bob Hines NASA hide caption

Hometown: Harrisburg, Penn.

The NASA research pilot earned both a bachelor's (Boston University) and master's degree (University of Alabama) in Aerospace Engineering. He's also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, and has served in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves for 18 years.

Warren "Woody" Hoburg, 31

Warren "Woody" Hoburg NASA hide caption

Warren "Woody" Hoburg

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Penn.

Hoburg got his bachelor's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley. He comes to NASA from MIT, where he's an assistant professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Jonny Kim, 33, lieutenant, U.S. Navy

Jonny Kim NASA hide caption

Hometown: Los Angeles

The Navy SEAL has completed more than 100 combat operations, earning a Silver Star and Bronze Star with Combat "V." He went on to earn his Mathematics degree at the University of San Diego and his doctorate at Harvard Medical School.

Robb Kulin, 33

Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska

Robb Kulin NASA hide caption

The Fulbright fellow earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Denver, a master's degree in Materials Science and a doctorate in Engineering at UC San Diego.

Also a private pilot, Kulin has experience as an ice driller in Antarctica, and as a commercial fisherman in Chignik, Alaska. He comes to NASA from SpaceX in California, where he's senior manager for flight reliability, heading the Launch Chief Engineering team.

Loral O'Hara, 34

Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas

The certified EMT and private pilot earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Kansas and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University. As a student, she participated in NASA's KC-135 Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and interned at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. O'Hara also spent four years working on design and engineering to upgrade Alvin, the human-occupied deep-sea submersible.

Loral O'Hara NASA hide caption

At the time she was selected for the candidacy program, the research engineer was working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

Francisco "Frank" Rubio, 41, major, U.S. Army

Hometown: Miami, Fla.

The father of four graduated from the U.S. Military Academy with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences with a Doctorate of Medicine. He's flown some 1,100 hours as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot, with more than half of that time in combat during deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Frank Rubio NASA hide caption

Also a certified family physician, Rubio was working as a battalion surgeon for the 3rd Battalion of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) of the U.S. Army when he was selected as a candidate.

Jessica Watkins, 29

Hometown: Lafayette, Colo.

Watkins earned her bachelor's degree in Geological and Environmental Sciences from Stanford University, where she also played for the school's rugby team. She went on to get a doctorate in Geology at UCLA, where she taught and studied landslides on Earth and Mars. Watkins' previous NASA experience includes internships at the agency's Ames Research Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Jessica Watkins NASA hide caption

At the time she was selected for the astronaut training program, she'd been working with the Mars Science Laboratory's rover, Curiosity, as a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology.

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Meet Your Lucky Stars: NASA Announces A New Class Of Astronaut Candidates - NPR

NASA releasing colorful artificial clouds tonight over Mid-Atlantic – Fauquier Times

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Look up in the sky tonight and you may see some strange blue-green and red clouds.

NASA is testing a new system supporting studies of the ionosphere, according to the Associated Press. The clouds are part of a sounding rocket launch from the Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague tonight, with liftoff scheduled between 9:04 and 9:19 p.m.

NASA has two ground stationsat Wallops and Duck, North Carolina, to view the clouds. But if skies are clear, the clouds should be visible along the Mid-Atlantic from New York to North Carolina.

Canisters will deploy between 4 and 5.5 minutes after launch releasing blue-green and red vapor to form artificial clouds, NASA said in a news release. These clouds, or vapor tracers, allow scientists on the ground to visually track particle motions in space.

The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will open at 8 p.m. for viewing the flight. For those who want to watch closer to home, NASA has released a visibility map.

Artificial clouds visibility map. Illustration courtesy NASA

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NASA releasing colorful artificial clouds tonight over Mid-Atlantic - Fauquier Times

Watch a NASA Rocket Create Colorful Artificial Clouds Over US East Coast Tonight! – Space.com

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Artificial clouds should be visible shortly after 9 p.m. EDT on June 11 from New York to North Carolina if a NASA sounding rocket launches on time from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

A small NASA rocket will launch to create colorful artificial clouds on Sunday night (June 11), and you can watch all the action live. Weather permitting, the launch could be visible to spectators on the U.S. East Coast from New York to North Carolina, NASA officials said.

The two-stage Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia between 9:04 p.m. and 9:19 p.m. EDT Sunday (0104 to 0119 GMT on Monday, June 12). You can watch it live here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA; coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. EDT (0030 GMT on Monday).

You can also follow the flight on the Wallops Ustream site: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops.

About 5 minutes after liftoff, the rocket will deploy 10 soft-drink-size canisters, which will release barium, strontium and cupric-oxide vapor to form blue-green and red artificial clouds.

"These clouds, or vapor tracers, allow scientists on the ground to visually track particle motions in space," NASA officials wrote in a mission update. "The clouds may be visible along the mid-Atlantic coastline from New York to North Carolina."

If you live near the Wallops Island area in Virginia and would like to watch the sounding rocket launch in person, NASA's Wallops Flight Facility Visitors Center will open to the public at 8 p.m. EDT. Because the launch is weather dependent, local spectactors and online viewers can recieve the latest updates from NASA via the Wallops centerFacebookandTwittersites.

The ampoule doors on the sounding rocket payload are open during testing at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Terrier-Improved Malemute rocket is scheduled to launch at 9:04 p.m. EDT on June 11, 2017.

The mission is designed to test a new multicanister ejection system that should allow researchers to gather data over a wider area than has been possible, agency officials added.

The rocket's total flight time will be about 8 minutes. The mission's main payload will hit the Atlantic Ocean about 90 miles (145 kilometers) off the Virginia coast and will not be recovered, NASA officials said.

The mission was originally supposed to lift off late last month, but it has been delayed several times by weather and once by a boat straying into the launch zone.

Editor's note:If you capture an amazing image of the sounding rocket launch or the colorful artificial clouds that you would like to share with Space.com and its news partners for a story or photo gallery, send photos and comments to:spacephotos@space.com.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

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Watch a NASA Rocket Create Colorful Artificial Clouds Over US East Coast Tonight! - Space.com

How NASA’s Satellites Can Help Solve the Middle East Water Crisis – Newsweek

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For at least six of the past 10 years, Ali Saed, a farmer, grew no crops. The rain in his little corner of northern Iraq was too meager, as was the flow of a nearby irrigation canal. He was only a few months away from ditching agriculture for good when he reached out to a distant relative, a government scientist in Baghdad. Saed was told some farmers had tapped groundwater stores, and he wondered if he might be able to do the same. By sizing up satellite images of the surrounding fields, the cousin identified a nearby dip layered with porous rock through which rainwater might once have seeped.

After pooling cash from his neighbors and calling in a drilling team, Saed hit wet pay dirt early last year. Thanks be to God, we found water, he says, straddling the new borehole on the periphery of his land. Finally, we can grow!

Thanks be to NASA too. Ever since it was established in 1958, Americas national space agency has produced a raft of invaluable scientific data. From tracking melting glaciers to identifying mineral deposits, its efforts to accumulate enormous troves of information have helped inform U.S. government decisions and spurred impressive breakthroughs. With up to 30 science-focused satellites in orbit at any one time, it even serves as a sort of one-stop life-saving shop for other countrieslike Iraqthat lack eyes in the sky. Since 2008, most NASA research has been freely available from its website.

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Of all the challenges NASA technology has faced on Earth, the one scientists in the Middle East are battling might prove its most daunting. Desperate to head off a regional water crisis, these experts have pinned their hopes on U.S. satellite imagery to boost water efficiency and sniff out additional water resources. At a time when droughts are growing more frequent and populations are booming from Yemen to Morocco, some suggest salvation by satellite might be the regions best chance of averting catastrophe. Already, we are unable to produce much of the food we need; its a crisis, says Farouk El-Baz, director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University, an adviser to Egypts president and a longtime NASA scientist. But if we can use satellite images to identify suitable water and places with the right soil for agriculture, then wed be very, very stupid not to use it. Aquifers in the Arabian Peninsula are so tapped out that some countriesnotably Saudi Arabiahave had to drop much of their agriculture.

]Nowhere has this technology proved more valuable than in the Middle East. Authorities in Jordan werent even sure what their farmers were growing until satellite imagery enabled them to build aerial crop maps. Theyve since cracked down on the cultivation of water-intensive plants, like rice. In Lebanon, where a dysfunctional political system has hampered data collection (there hasnt been a census since the 1930s for fear of upsetting the sectarian balance), satellite imagery has allowed officials to make up the shortfall in information on everything from urban planning to abuse of the food subsidy system. After analyzing the countrys farmland from above, the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) worked out that farmers were growing roughly half the 20,000 hectares of wheat that theyd claimed. The government was subsequently able to slash its wheat subsidy handouts by over two-thirds.

NASA Terra spacecraft captured this image north of the present town of Al Hillal, Iraq, in the fertile plain between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers, where the site of the legendary city of Babylon lies. NASA

But its space technologys capacity to better regulate water usage, and therefore grow more food with fewer resources, thats really excited the science community. By gauging the temperature of a field, which if irrigated properly should be below that of the surrounding area, researchers can determine if a crop is water-stressed or, crucially in the Middle East, consuming more water than it needs. Through measuring the amount of moisture in tree canopies and snow melts, they can learn how much water theyll have to toy with in the first place. It enables us to make better predictions, to learn how much irrigation will be needed, to see if a country is in a state of drought, says Rachael McDonnell, head of the climate change modeling adaptation section at the Dubai-based International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), which frequently partners with NASA.

Unfortunately, the Middle East, already the worlds driest region, appears to be getting even drier. And so satellite imagery might really come into its own in the bleakest of circumstances. Using NASAs Landsat programthe Land Rover Defender of the data world, McDonnell calls itaid organizations have created drought and famine early-warning systems, through which they try to tackle crises before they worsen. They scan images for signs of desertification and look for indications of widespread vegetation stress. When Morocco was struck by a severe drought last year, which cut grain production by almost 60 percent and led to the loss of almost 200,000 agricultural jobs, remote-sensing analysts took the lead in pinpointing and directing assistance to the worst-affected areas.

Still, satellite imagerys rollout hasnt been without its problems, in large part because many governments have yet to recognize the technologys importance. On many occasions, quality research and useful data never reach policymakers, instead gathering dust on bureaucrats desks. One of the big problems in the entire Arab region is that we can do the science, but a lot of its just thrown in a drawer, says Chadi Abdallah, a researcher at Lebanons CNRS. In other instances, underappreciated national science institutes have been among the first to lose their funding during economic crises. Egypts lone science satellite, NileSat, is out of operation for financial reasons; Iraqs science and technology budget has been eviscerated. No manner of high-resolution data from the sky can help when theres no one on the books to interpret the often complicated raw information.

And then there are the security issues. Starting in the 1970s, when El-Baz, then working on the Apollo-Soyuz mission, first brought NASA images to Egypt, many intelligence services have taken a dim view of foreign space technology. Some still see it as overly sensitive, almost a form of spying, and try to regulate its use. In 2015, authorities in Cairo inexplicably denied entry to two American data analysts from the Department of Agriculture whod come to calibrate their satellite readings on the ground. Other security agencies have brought these institutions under their wingMoroccos Royal Center for Remote Sensing falls under the purview of its Ministry of Interior, rendering many of its findings inaccessible to independent researchers. In an unfortunate sign of the times, Lebanese scientists have found that even when they do identify problems via satellitein this instance, the growth of an invasive plant near Al-Qaa in the countrys northsometimes theres nothing they can do about it. The war [in neighboring Syria] prevents us from accessing certain areas. Were not allowed to go there, says Ghaleb Faour, director of the Center for Remote Sensing at CNRS.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of signs that satellite imagerys role in the Middle East will only get bigger, betterand perhaps slightly less reliant on NASA. Since the 1970s, Americans have dominated the remote sensing field, offering a mostly freeand by far the largestarchive of images. They even broadcast data directly from space to up to 20 countries at a time. We got a head start on the world, says James Irons, director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center.

Over the past few years, however, alternatives have emerged, a number of which offer superior resolutionand therefore a wider range of usesthan the Landsat satellites. The European Space Agency launched Sentinel 2A last year, and Sentinel 2B this year, both of which can arrow in more closely than most other publicly available satellites. The ESA recently made some of its data free for the first time, which is crucial given that most Middle Eastern scientists are operating on shoestring budgets. And some private satellite operators that have even superior resolution capabilities have been known to drop their prices when public research institutions ask. We find a way [to make it work] , says Kumar Navulur, interim president at DigitalGlobe, a U.S. company. Lebanons CNRS pays the company roughly $100,000 every five years to build detailed digital maps of the country. As satellite revisit times and image quality improve, researchers hope that skeptics within their own governments will come to see technologys value.

Above all, though, it increasingly looks as if satellite imagery might be one of the Middle Easts few means of confronting its terrifying array of environmental challenges. With most states in the region grappling with some kind of conflict or weak economy, water and food crises are worsening by the day. The solution, it seems, might well have to come from above. Particularly with climate change, we know were going to have less water. Were going to have to get much better at managing water across the entire board, says ICBAs McDonnell. Were going to have to be smart with satellite imagery.

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How NASA's Satellites Can Help Solve the Middle East Water Crisis - Newsweek

NASA just unveiled something absolutely shocking – Morning Ticker

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Morning Ticker
NASA just unveiled something absolutely shocking
Morning Ticker
An incredible new piece of equipment was just unveiled down in Florida by NASA, and it's a concept that could forever change man's mission to Mars. The space agency unveiled a Mars rover concept that will serve as an intermediary step toward an actual ...
NASA Finds Evidence of Diverse Environments in Curiosity SamplesAstrobiology Magazine (registration)
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NASA Unveils Mars Rover ConceptCitizen TV (press release)
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NASA just unveiled something absolutely shocking - Morning Ticker