Fwd: NASA News Summary for Wednesday, October 16, 2013

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From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: October 16, 2013 7:11:13 AM CDT
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: NASA News Summary for Wednesday, October 16, 2013

 

 

 

• LEADING THE NEWS NASA Employees Protest Furloughs Outside Of JSC. The Bay Area (TX) Citizen (10/16, Orozco, 576) reports that on Tuesday, "several dozen" NASA employees protested their furloughs at the ISS. As only a few NASA employees on the ISS program are still at work, Bridget Broussard-Guidry, president of Local 2284 NASA/JSC chapter of American Federation of Government Employees, said the group wants an end to the shutdown because NASA employees want to get back to work to "provide a service to the American people." Broussard-Guidry said the workers are "being used as pawns" by politicians.         The Houston Chronicle (10/16, Rice, 2.26M) reports the protest garnered "considerable attention" from onlookers and the media. According to the article, the protest was "inspired" by Rep. Steve Stockman, who said most NASA workers were "unconcerned" by the shutdown and supported it, which "angered" Broussard-Guidry.         Brooks Introduces Bill That Would Fund NASA. The Huntsville (AL) Times (10/16, Gattis, 127K) "Breaking" blog reports Rep. Mo Brooks introduced a bill that would fund NASA for the next year "as part of an effort to get furloughed workers back on the job." Brooks said, "While I do not generally support continuing resolutions as the best way to fund the government, the current shutdown has forced us to propose alternative solutions until responsible funding bills have passed both houses of Congress and have been signed into law by the President."         Shutdown Delays Microgravity Jet Flight. The Huntsville (AL) Times (10/16, Gattis, 127K) reports that because of the government shutdown, a group of Alabama A&M University students will not be traveling to the Johnson Space Center as planned for a microgravity flight aboard a NASA jet. The team would have tested a liquid crystal experiment, but they were given the "gloomy news" last week that their project has been delayed until after the shutdown is over.         Washington State Companies Reassign Workers To Deal With Shutdown. The Puget Sound (WA) Business Journal (10/16, Wilhelm, Subscription Publication, 70K) reports how contractors like Aerojet Redmond and Andrews Space in Washington state are trying to "work around" the shutdown by reassigning workers who can no longer work on NASA projects because of furloughs. According to the article, while in the short-term companies are making due, if the shutdown goes on long enough, some launches and development work could be seriously delayed. Planetary Resources President Chris Lewicki said those that "don't depend 100 percent on NASA," like his group, are continuing with their private projects, but anything done on programs involving NASA has been hampered.         Op-Ed Criticizes What Is Considered Non-Essential. In a similar vein, in an op-ed in USA Today (10/16, Campbell, 5.82M), Hank Campbell, the founder of Science 2.0, says that Americans "and much of the news media, ostensibly on the side of the president before the shutdown, are now ridiculing Obama right along with the House Republicans." Campbell argues that in part, this is because "some of the administration's decisions on what to shut down have been downright silly," particularly the decision to declare the vast majority of the National Science Foundation's personnel as non-essential. In addition, Campbell draws attention to the shutdown of NASA's page and the National Zoo's giant panda cam.         Blog Coverage. Ben Evans at AmericaSpace (10/16) writes no matter what happens with the government shutdown, ISS activities "press on," with a series of spacecraft operations taking up the next few weeks. These include the departure of Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft, ESA's ATV-4 spacecraft, and Expedition 37 crewmembers Karen Nyberg, and Luca Parmitano, Fyodor Yurchikhin. This will be followed by the arrival of new crew on November 7. NASA NEWS Op-Ed Recommends Canceling SLS As First Step In Correcting Space Policy. In an op-ed for the Washington Times (10/16, 417K), Joshua Jacobs, a founding member of the Conservative Future Project, said it is a "travesty" that the "most exciting developments in aerospace" are with companies like SpaceX docking at the ISS and not with NASA. Jacobs puts the blame squarely on Congress, because NASA has "extremely ambitious plans" that are "dashed" when Congress dictates projects, like the development of the Space Launch System. He also blames the Obama Administration for canceling the "ambitious" Constellation program. Examining what could be worked on for the same cost as the SLS, Jacobs concludes the "first step" in correcting the US' course in space would be to cancel the SLS.         Blog Coverage. Christopher Blakeley at PolicyMic (10/16, 179K) writes the shelving of "the massively expensive J-2X engine program" shows that governments cannot develop spacecraft on their own, but should work with commercial companies like SpaceX, which have developed similar capabilities for much less. He notes that SpaceX even "pushed policy" during the Augustine Commission. He does think that sooner or later, NASA will be a "relic" when compared to the advances of private companies. SpaceX Official Says US Needs To Commit To Space Like China. SPACE (10/16, Wall, 186K) reports that at last month's American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' Space 2013 conference, SpaceX vice president for government affairs Adam Harris said that China's space program was SpaceX's main competitor for commercial launches. Harris said that SpaceX currently has more that 50 missions on its books, but only about a third of those are with government agencies, such as missions launching cargo to the ISS. Harris warned that if the US wants to continue as the leader in space, it needs a "commitment" like the one China is showing towards its space program. Local Recalls Time Working Under Carpenter. The Toledo (OH) Blade (10/15, 250K) profiled Sylvania Schools bus driver Lowell King, who knew the late Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter. King spoke about what it was like to work under Carpenter at SEALAB III. New York Student Attends NASA Program. The Greenburgh (NY) Daily Voice (10/16, Jenkins) reports local high school senior Carly Mannino was one of 47 students who attended one of NASA's programs for female students. Mannino is also a recipient of a scholarship from NASA to continue her studies as an engineer. According to the article, Mannino "was introduced to astronauts and worked in labs using specialized equipment. In addition, she got an exclusive tour at the space center to see how aircraft are designed." In her interview, Mannino spoke against possible cuts and budget constraints on NASA, particularly Mars missions, saying "NASA wouldn't want to send men to Mars were there not a list of potential benefits." According to the article, this was a "life-changing experience." HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS Olympic Torch Modified For Upcoming Spacewalk. Russia's ITAR-TASS News Agency (10/16, 1K) reports on the Olympic torch that will be sent to the ISS for a spacewalk next month. Sergei Krikalyov, head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, said this torch has been modified with "additional safety devices" so that it is not lost in space. Krikalyov did not say "how exactly" the torch would take part in the spacewalk.         Wakata To Be Japan's First ISS Commander. WHYY-TV Philadelphia (10/15, 11:26 p.m. EDT, 3K) reports Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is training with the crew that will launch next month, will become Japan's first ISS commander. The astronauts are now going through their "final tests." MassChallenge Names Startups That Could Send Experiments To The ISS. The Boston Globe (10/15, Borchers, 1.75M) "Inside The Hive" blog reported startup accelerator MassChallenge has named the 26 startups that will compete for $1.5 million in prize money, with the winners receiving their money at the end of the month. Most of the prize money will come from MassChallenge. The Center for Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) is providing $400,000 and an opportunity to send work to the ISS National Laboratory.         Roscosmos Will Simulate Mars Mission Aboard ISS In 2018. The RT (RUS) (10/16, 111K) continues coverage of how Russia plans to send a new spacecraft to Mars' moon Phobos by 2022. Detailing the difficulty Russia had launching its last probe to Phobos, the article notes that Russia is "slowly but steadily" working towards a manned mission to Mars. Roscosmos plans to conduct a "more complicated" version of its Mars-500 experiment by having two cosmonauts live aboard the ISS for a year, return to Earth, and then "immediately" return back to the ISS to simulate what a full Mars mission would be like. That experiment will take place in 2018. Sports Therapy Tool Inspired By Work At ISS. The Medical Daily (10/16, Scutti, 16K) reports how new research is examining how devices like AlterG's "anti-gravity treadmill" can help the rehabilitation process. The treadmill was "conceived" by doctors Robert Whalen and Alan Hargens working on ways to help astronauts at the ISS mitigate the effects of living in space through exercise. The article notes sports therapists and sports trainers are currently using the AlterG in their programs. Jellyfish Babies Have Tough Time Adjusting To Gravity When Born In Space. Popular Science (10/16, Ferro, 5.37M) reports that NASA experiments involving jellyfish show that those born in space got "massive vertigo" when they returned to Earth. Since humans "sense gravity and acceleration" in a similar manner to jellyfish, the article notes that this research provides a "warning" to future humans born in space. SCIENCE Penny Imaged To Test MAHLI's Highest Resolution. collectSPACE (10/16, Pearlman) continued coverage of the "ultra high-resolution photo" the Curiosity rover took of a penny it carried to Mars. That image showed the penny, which has been used as a reference, covered in dust. The image was taken to see how well the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) performed at its highest resolution of 14 micrometers per pixel. R. Aileen Yingst, MAHLI deputy principal investigator, said she is "proud" the instrument is still performing this well 14 months into its mission.         Blog Coverage. Molly Samuel at the KQED-AM San Francisco (10/16, 13K) "Science" blog interviews NASA systems engineer Bobak Ferdowsi about the Curiosity rover. Ferdowsi said it is "amazing" that even months away from Mount Sharp, the rover can already see layering in the sediment. Meanwhile, when it comes to potentially sending people to Mars, Ferdowsi said, "I hope we get to send people there. As much as I love working with robots, I think there's something special about seeing humans get to these other places." SPACE TECHNOLOGY New System Could Help Spacecraft Operate More Efficiently. The Wired (10/16, Mann, 3.52M) "Wired Science" blog reports how Jeff Norris, head of mission operation innovations at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Ops Lab, is leading work to make unmanned spacecraft work more efficiently by "predicting where they will be in the very near future." This would allow operators to overcome communication delays by allowing them to send instructions "at a much faster rate." Software engineer Alexander Menzies said that when this system was tested, operators had an "almost game-like experience." The article notes this system could be very useful with deep space projects at places like the moon or a near-Earth asteroid where operations are not limited by bandwidth. NASA Funds Research Into Laser-Based Propulsion. Photonics Online (10/16, Pomager) reports how NASA is "paying very close attention" to the development of laser-based propulsion technology, as indicated by its recent award to researcher Young K. Bae. Under NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) contract, Bae will develop "space-qualified lasers in a vacuum environment." The article notes that Bae wants to go even further by eventually developing a "photonic railway" that one day could be used for interstellar flight. According to the article, Bae believes NASA's grant is just "the first of many" investments that will come. Turnbull: In-Space Construction Makes Mars Missions Possible Now. In an op-ed for SPACE (10/16, 186K), science fiction writer Doug Turnbull outlines a scenario where current technology could be used to conduct deep space missions to the moon or Mars by assembling spacecraft in space. While he said the ISS is at the wrong location to make this possible, he noted "a mission-modified version of the Zvezda habitat module" now at the ISS would become a Mission Assembly Habitat (MAH) where spacecraft could be assembled. Turnbull comments this is "established technology," enhanced by the fact that many who helped build the ISS with it are still alive. BLOGS Video Places Moon At ISS' Orbit. Nancy Atkinson at Universe Today (10/16, 25K) posts a video that shows what the moon would look like if it was at the same distance from the Earth as the ISS. As an "interesting comparison," Atkinson posted a separate image showing the ISS transiting the moon. Spacecraft Tracker Called "Great Stuff." In an article for All About Symbian (10/16), Steve Litchfield reviews the "clumsily dual-named ISSTracker SatTracker" app, which allows someone to track any man-made spacecraft, including the ISS. Other than the name, Litchfield said the app is "great stuff." Dallas Auction Features Rare Memorabilia From Apollo Missions. Heather Smith at AmericaSpace (10/16) writes about Heritage Auctions' Space Exploration Signature Auction happening on November 1. The auction will feature an "Apollo 11 flown Commemorative Cover" signed by the crew, which could sell for more than $40,000. Another item is a 50-page section of a microform copy of the Bible flown on Apollo 13 and carried to the moon's surface during Apollo 14. Additional items include an Apollo 11 American Flag, an Apollo 16 Robbins Medallion, a hand-written note card by Neil Armstrong, a pair of Armstrong's training-boots, and a 1918 edition of Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon signed by Apollo 11 astronauts. AEROSPACE NEWS Next Delta IV Rocket Launch Delayed. Florida Today (10/16, Dean, 222K) reports that next week's planned launch of the GPS IIF-5 spacecraft aboard a Delta IV rocket has been delayed, although a spokesperson for the 45th Space Wing did not say at the time the article was written what the cause of the delay was. A new date was not yet determined. ESA Displays 3D-Printed Metal Parts. The AP (10/16) reports that yesterday, the ESA displayed "several sample" metal objects it developed using 3D printing. The agency claims these could be used for spacecraft or nuclear reactors. The parts reportedly can survive temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, and the ESA plans to make "even more durable" parts in the future.         Russia's First Private Satellites Launches This February. RIA Novosti (RUS) (10/16, 4K) reports Russia plans to launch its first "100 percent" privately funded satellite this February. The Dauria Aerospace DX-1 mini-satellite will be launched on a Soyuz-2-1B rocket to test "equipment, technology and software" for a small spacecraft platform. The article notes that Dauria Aerospace is Russia's "first private space company." Teams Simultaneously Test Spacesuits For Mars Exploration. Writing for Popular Science (10/16, 5.37M), Francie Diep shares images of new spacesuits developed by various designers. The groups tested the dexterity of the suits simultaneously at four different obstalce courses in Austria, France, North Dakota, and Utah on October 8. Diep writes, "Any future spacesuits for human explorers on Mars will have to do a lot. They'll need to provide wearers with oxygen, a comfortable temperature and pressure, and shielding from radiation. They may even need to protect people from toxins in Mars' dust." Tested suits included "the Aouda. X suit by the Austrian Space Forum, the NDX-2 suit by the Human Spaceflight Laboratory at the University of North Dakota, and suits by the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah." Commercial Space Tourists Demanding More Luxurious Hospitality Industry In New Mexico. The Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News (10/16, Anderson, 59K) reports on a growing need to develop a luxury hospitality industry in southern New Mexico to accommodate wealthy Virgin Galactic ticket holders. The point was made by entrepreneur and ticket-holder Michael Blum at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. Amenities in demand include "six-star hotels" and restaurants to accommodate not only the ticket-holders, but the guests they plan to bring with them to witness the launch.

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