Boeing's schedule for flying astronauts slips to 2018

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/boeing-starliner-schedule-astronauts-slips-2018/


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Fwd: NASA working towards September 2018 SLS/Orion launch

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: May 11, 2016 at 7:49:57 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: NASA working towards September 2018 SLS/Orion launch

 

NASA working towards September 2018 SLS/Orion launch

by Jeff Foust — May 10, 2016

NASA managers said May 9 the first Space Launch System rocket could launch as early as two months before the agency's "commitment" date of November 2018. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON — Managers of three key NASA exploration programs said May 10 that they are making good progress towards a first launch of the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket as soon as September 2018.

Managers of the SLS, Orion, and Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) programs said at a Space Transportation Association luncheon here that while the programs are working towards a first launch of SLS and Orion, called Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), in November 2018, they believe that they could launch up to two months earlier.

"The agency's baseline commitment is November of 2018," said Mike Bolger, manager of the GSDP program. "The September date we've talked internally about, and pressed them to see if we can make it by September. It gives us a little margin at the end."

His comments came after an earlier presentation by Mark Kirasich, the Orion program manager, who discussed preparations for the EM-1 launch, including photos of the pressure vessel of the spacecraft being assembled at the Kennedy Space Center.

"This is the pressure vessel that, about 28 months from now, will be on its way towards the moon and into a distant retrograde orbit around the moon," he said, a timeframe that corresponds to a September 2018 launch.

NASA has not provided a firm launch date for the EM-1 mission, which will be the first flight of the SLS and the second for Orion, after a brief December 2014 test flight in Earth orbit. The November 2018 date is tied to a review of the SLS program completed in August 2014, which concluded there was a 70 percent chance SLS would be ready for its first flight by November 2018.

John Honeycutt, NASA SLS program manager, said work on various components of the first SLS is proceeding as planned. "We're moving rapidly towards the launch pad," he said, calling development of the SLS a "good news" story.

OWork on SLS has not been entirely good news: he acknowledged earlier problems with the Vertical Assembly Center, a giant tool at the Michoud Assembly Facility used to weld elements of the core of the vehicle. "We did have some issues with the startup of that Vertical Assembly Center," he said. "But, I can tell you today that we've overcome those issues and we're making good progress."

Honeycutt said the major structural pieces of the core stage for the first SLS should be completed by the end of July. That will be about a month after a second and final qualification test of the five-segment solid rocket boosters in Utah. The former space shuttle main engines that will be used on the first SLS flight have already completed acceptance testing, he said.

Kirasich said work is going well on the crew module for the Orion spacecraft, where the pressure vessel is being outfitted with various subsystems. That component recently completed a series of pressure tests and engineers will soon add its propulsion and life support systems.

Work on ground systems, Bolger said, includes upgrades to the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC, the mobile transporter for moving the rocket to the launch pad, and the pad itself, Launch Complex 39B, previously used by the shuttle program. That work, he said, is proceeding on schedule to support a fall 2018 launch.

Honeycutt said the SLS program is making progress on the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), a more powerful upper stage planned for future SLS missions after EM-1. The EUS has also become a political issue, as Congress provided additional funding and direction for EUS work not requested by the agency in its recent budget requests.

Congress directed NASA to spend at least $85 million on EUS in the fiscal year 2016 omnibus spending bill, and have it ready in time for the second SLS mission, EM-2. NASA, however, did not request enough funding in its fiscal year 2017 budget request to support development of the EUS in time for EM-2, even as it directed agency engineers to stop work on human rating the interim upper stage that will be flown on EM-1.

A funding bill for 2017 approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee April 21 sets aside at least $300 million of the $2.15 billion provided for SLS to continue work on EUS. That bill has not been taken up by the full Senate, and the House has yet to introduce a companion spending bill.

Honeycutt suggested he assumed the higher spending levels would continue to be available for EUS, which will complete a preliminary design review by the end of this year. Citing "favorable appropriations" for the program this year, he said, "our plan now is to fly EM-2 with the Exploration Upper Stage."

NASA's message overall to the audience at the event, which included Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), a member of the House Science Committee whose district includes KSC, is that the main elements of NASA's exploration program remain on track. "Congressman Posey," Kirasich said, "I wanted to tell you that the Orion team is focused, funded, and we are on schedule."

 

 © 2016 SpaceNews, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

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Fwd: Guess Who The Government is Forgetting This Month?

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Laura Ingraham" <info@americanveteranscenter.org>
Date: May 10, 2016 at 1:03:55 PM CDT
To: Bobby Martin <bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com>
Subject: Guess Who The Government is Forgetting This Month?
Reply-To: info@americanveteranscenter.org

75 years ago in December, Pearl Harbor was hit, leading the US to enter WWII and stop fascist tyranny in its tracks. But the United States government has no plans to invite in this historic occasion this Memorial Day.

Dear Bobby, You probably know me as someone who is not a fan of big government. I believe in giving taxpayers back THEIR money and letting them use it how they see fit. After all the things this government spends money on, they've decided they are going to draw the line when it comes to remembering and commemorating World War II. 75 years ago in December, Pearl Harbor was hit, leading the US to enter WWII and stop fascist tyranny in its tracks. But the United States government has no plans to invite in this historic occasion this Memorial Day. That's right, US Government who recently spent $200,000 on tattoo removal for people, $1.8 million on a Neon Light Museum, and $30 million to help Pakistani farmers produce more mangos, refuse to spend a cent over the next four years to honor and remember our WWII veterans. Now is the time when we as Americans stand up and show our WWII veterans that even though your government won't spend a cent remembering you, we as private citizens WILL! This year marks World War II's 75th Anniversary, and it will likely be the last one for many of our nation's WWII veterans. I wish my father was around to see this one. My father fought alongside some great men. He enlisted in the US Navy at 17 and served aboard the USS Long Island, which saw combat in the Pacific. At age 17! This NATIONAL Memorial Day Parade will help our WWII veterans and especially their families know that America remembers all that you have done for us. It says loud and clear "We will not forget you." This Memorial Day Parade is really only the starting point of what the American Veterans Center does for our World War II veterans. I hope you will consider a tax deductible gift to help The American Veterans Center to celebrate our living WWII veterans and remembering those who gave it all, and never made it back home. Because this parade is all about remembering, I want to give you something to remember our World War II veterans. If you give a gift of $75 today to help remember our WWII veterans, I'll send you two special vials of sand – one from the black sands of Iwo Jima, and the other from D-Day's Omaha beach in Normandy. If you're on a tight budget, then I hope you might consider a gift of $43, for which I'll have the American Veterans Center send you a vial of sand from just Omaha Beach. Think about it: imagine you're a World War II veteran and you realize you may not have much more time left on God's green earth. Would you want to leave knowing that 75 years later our country barely remembers your sacrifice? Or do you want to go in peace, knowing that 75 years after your service they still remember what you and your friends fought and died for?!? I want to make sure than the WWII veterans that are still left and the families of our WWII veterans know America is grateful. Please stand up and help us honor our veterans when our government won't by supporting the American Veterans Center's annual National Memorial Day Parade today. Thank you, Laura Ingraham P.S. The National Memorial Day Parade is the kick-off celebration for our WWII veterans. Our government isn't doing anything to help. Please stand up and show them while the government may be idle, loyal Americans are not. If you give a gift of $75 today to help remember our WWII veterans, I'll send you TWO vials of sand: One from the black sands of Iwo Jima; and the other from Omaha beach in Normandy as symbols of the sacrifices our vets have made. Donations made to the American Veterans Center are tax-deductible. The American veterans Center is a project of The American Studies Center, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation.

This message was intended for: bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com
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We now pay Russia!

O brags in 2017 budget re the great commercial effort.

It should be noted our capabilities have been REDUCED significantly re we now pay russia for rides to ISS!!!! A TRUE DS, knucklehead!!!!

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As George Abbey states in Lost in Space, we need the capability to build & maintain large structures in space. Abbey states the Boeing Proposed X37C would provide it!

If you Enjoy your life in the USA, --- better think about this!

These Are the 5 Reasons Why the U.S. Remains the World's Only Superpower | TIME

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Better give this subject some serious thought--- the liberals plan is to destroy American sovereignty & reduce our economic & military capabilities.
Look at trade agreements, border & energy policies--- none are to make the USA preeminent!

And don't forget the useless UN the libs love!

Look at our society, do you see a a strong, educated , hard -working, law abiding one or the opposite? Look at status of military, space capabilities, energy capabilities, manufacturing capabilities -- all declining!

Better hope more liberals are not put in office!!!!!!! Bm

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Fwd: The Write Stuff

Great, but.  A HELL of a long way from where we were in 2011, with the Amazing Shuttle

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Space & NASA - Orlando Sentinel" <noreply+feedproxy@google.com>
Date: May 7, 2016 at 7:05:17 AM CDT
To: bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com
Subject: The Write Stuff
Reply-To: "Space & NASA - Orlando Sentinel" <online@orlandosentinel.com>

The Write Stuff

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SpaceX launches satellite, sticks landing ... again Posted: 06 May 2016 04:46 AM PDT SpaceX employees let out a roar and began a "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" chant when a rocket that sent a satellite into orbit successfully landed on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida's Space Coast early Friday morning. The company launched its Falcon 9 rocket successfully at 1:21 a.m., then crews...

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