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This is not a NASA Website. You might learn something. It's YOUR space agency. Get involved. Take it back. Make it work - for YOU.
[email protected] | Voice +1.703.787.6567 | RSS Feed | Twitter | Advertising | Important Disclaimer
Schiaparelli Impact Site on Mars Viewed From Orbit
"This Oct. 25, 2016, image shows the area where the European Space Agency's Schiaparelli test lander reached the surface of Mars, with magnified insets of three sites where components of the spacecraft hit the ground. It is the first view of the site from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter taken after the Oct. 19, 2016, landing event. The Schiaparelli test lander was one component of ESA's ExoMars 2016 project, which placed the Trace Gas Orbiter into orbit around Mars on the same arrival date."
Categories: Space & Planetary Science
NASA FISO Presentation: An ISS Space Ambulance Based on X-37B Technology
Now available is the October 19, 2016 NASA Future In-Space Operations (FISO) telecon material. The speakers was Steve Robinson (UC Santa Cruz) who discussed "An ISS Space Ambulance Based on X-37B Technology."
Note: The audio file and presentation are online and available to download.
Marc's note: An interesting concept. Is there a future commercial application for this concept should other space stations come online (Bigelow etc.)?
Until last night a number of space ppl in DC talked with a straight face about Gingrich as possible Trump #NASA Administrator. Not any more. pic.twitter.com/f3RdgSYjFQ
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 26, 2016
Trump space advisor Bob Walker wants to invite China to join the International Space Station program. https://t.co/uRDK4Bhmhz
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 26, 2016
Orbital View of Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11
"CNSA has released imagery taken by a smallsat deployed the other day that shows Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11."
The Second Meeting of the U.S.-China Space Dialogue, State Department
"Pursuant to their shared goal of advancing civil space cooperation, as agreed upon in the Strategic Track of the U.S. - China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in June 2015 and reaffirmed in June 2016, the United States and China convened their second Civil Space Dialogue on October 20, 2016, in Washington, DC. This ongoing Civil Space Dialogue enhances cooperation between the two countries, promotes responsible behavior in space, and encourages greater transparency and openness on a variety of space-related issues."
United States, China hold Space Dialogue, working around Congressional barriers, GBTimes
"Notably NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was in attendance, despite Congressional barriers to engaging Chinese state entities, with the Dialogue offering a way of working around such road blocks. ... From there, Mr Bolden went on to stress that NASA's apparent human Journey to Mars requires collaboration with many nations, without specifically noting China. Earlier public statements indicate that he is a proponent of cooperation with China."
Categories: China
Hillary will expand our space potential, op ed, Space News
"We are fortunate to be entering a dynamic new era in space - one that will enable us to explore new worlds, expand our scientific knowledge, push the frontiers of technological innovation, and achieve our boldest aspirations in space. This forward trajectory has been fueled by pragmatic policies that have brought together our brightest minds, and newest technologies, to forge new frontiers. As president, Secretary Clinton will not only build on our progress in space, but will advance inspirational, achievable, and affordable space initiatives."
Categories: Election 2016Trump, perhaps unsurprisingly in Sanford, FL, talking about something he rarely does - talks about NASA: pic.twitter.com/c60R4dDoVP
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) October 25, 2016
Making 3D Images With Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes
"The two most powerful optical/IR telescopes in history -- NASA's Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes -- will be in space at the same time. We have a unique opportunity to leverage the 1.5 million kilometer separation between the two telescopic nodal points to obtain simultaneously captured stereoscopic images of asteroids, comets, moons and planets in our Solar System. Given the recent resurgence in stereo-3D movies and the recent emergence of VR-enabled mobile devices, these stereoscopic images provide a unique opportunity to engage the public with unprecedented views of various Solar System objects."
Categories: Astronomy, Space & Planetary Science
Spaceport America Relay Race Features an Amazing 200 Mile Course Along the Historic Rio Grande River from Texas to New Mexico, Spaceport America
"Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport located in southern New Mexico in the USA, today announced that, in collaboration with relay racing specialists MH Enterprises LLC, the Spaceport America Crew will host and support a two-day, 200 mile, relay race event."
Spaceport America, Wikipedia
"As of August 2012, Spaceport America is substantially complete and the cost of the entire project was $209 million. ... In May 2015, budgetary details made public revealed that the substantially unused spaceport has an annual deficit that has been running approximately US$500,000, with the deficit being made up by state taxpayers. The primary planned revenue in the times of delayed operations by Virgin Galactic and SpaceX, with limited operations by other minor tenants, is local tax revenue, paid by the taxpayers of Sierra and Dona Ana counties."
Categories: Commercialization
Donald Trump's "peace through strength" space doctrine, op ed, Space News
"A key Trump goal will be to create lower costs through greater efficiencies. We must ensure that space products developed for one sector, but applicable to another, will be fully shared, not duplicated. It makes little sense to develop numerous launch vehicles at taxpayer cost, all with essentially the same technology and payload capacity. Coordinated policy could end such duplication of effort and could likely determine where there are private sector solutions that do not necessarily require government investment."
Keith's note: A second Trump space policy op ed in 2 weeks - and still no overt mention of support for SLS/Orion, ARM, or #JourneyToMars - just the same statement that government should not be developing launch capabilities when the private sector can do so.
- Trump Space Advisors Omit Support of SLS, Orion, ARM, #JourneytoMars, earlier post
Categories: Election 2016
Space Foundation CEO Steps Down, Space Foundation
"Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Space Foundation, Admiral James O. Ellis Jr., announced that Space Foundation CEO, Elliot Pulham, has resigned his position, and the board has commenced a search for new leadership of the organization. ... We are committed to an open and competitive process to select the Foundation's next leader, and are grateful for the continued support of the space community."
Categories: Commercialization
Keith's update: According to CNN, Trump has cancelled plans to visit KSC. So much for the photo op of his jet landing at KSC shuttle landing facility. Apparently they could not find a rally location offsite in a nearby location that would meet the expected audience numbers. I've also heard that there was a NASA concern that the campaign would try and do a tour where giant NASA logos would appear in campaign photos.
Donald Trump adds Sanford, St. Augustine to Florida swing, FloridaPolitics.com
"In addition, he's expected to tour Kennedy Space Center and meet with the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast. That activity originally was scheduled for Monday but the Space Coast EDC reported it has been postponed to Tuesday. No details are yet available."
Donald Trump to meet with Florida space officials Monday, Orlando Sentinel
"Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to tour Kennedy Space Center and other locations on the Space Coast before sitting in on a roundtable of space industry leaders on Monday, Oct. 24. ... So far, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has not accepted invitations to tour the region. Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the economic development commission of Florida's Space Coast, said she hopes Trump's visit encourages Clinton to follow suit."
Categories: Election 2016
Smith, Babin Examine Policy Governing Indian Launch Vehicles
"Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas) yesterday sent letters to four senior officials following up on requests for information about the current U.S. policy governing the export of U.S. commercial satellites for launch on Indian launch vehicles. On July 6 Chairmen Smith and Babin wrote Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren, Secretary of State John Kerry, United States Trade Representative Michael Froman, and U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, seeking this information. Yesterday's letters reiterate requests for a briefing and documentation on the current U.S. policy."
Eric Stallmer, Commercial Spaceflight Federation Testimony , April 2016
"Here, CSF opposes any change to the current U.S. policy with respect to launch on Indian launch vehicle systems. For commercial as well as government launches, Indian launch vehicles are operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), a government entity that also funds the development and manufacture of these launch vehicles. Here, CSF has seen that pricing for commercial launch services on Indian rockets historically has not reflected the true costs associated with their initial development and on-going launch operations, putting U.S. commercial launchers at a disadvantage in competitions for these class of payloads. In effect, India is dumping these vehicles on the commercial market to the detriment of U.S. firms. We would encourage the U.S. Congress to support American firms offering legitimate pricing for launch services in this market."
Elliot Pulham, Space Foundation Testimony, April 2016
"The concern about using Indian boosters is not so much the transfer of sensitive technology to a nation that is a fellow democracy, but rather whether Indian launches are subsidized by the Indian government to the degree that other market actors, for example American launch companies or those of allies, would be priced out the market."
Keith's note: Why is India being singled out for special treatment? Who own's most, if not all, of China's launch infrastructure? Russia's? Europe's? Japan's? Who sets their launch prices? Why is it that every time the U.S. buys Soyuz seats the price goes up far more than it should?
- Will U.S. Companies Be Allowed To Launch on Indian Rockets?, earlier post
- America's Hypocritical Fear of Indian Rockets, earlier post
- Congress Asks Questions About U.S. Policy Regarding Indian Launch Vehicles, earlier post
- Hearing Discusses Using Old ICBMs As Satellite Launchers, earlier post
#NASA has a new #JourneyToMars infographic but still lacks the money to make it happen pic.twitter.com/Amrm9mQkaf
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 22, 2016
.@alanstern says New Horizons team has not submitted Pluto nomenclature suggestions to IAU yet. "Informal names" to continue. #DPSEPSC
— Alexandra Witze (@alexwitze) October 18, 2016
By stalling they get more published citations using "informal" #Pluto names - formally - so as to try and force the IAU's hand #DPSEPSC https://t.co/4fV7lUTgpN
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 18, 2016
NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 26 October 2016 
Three Expedition 49 crew members are winding down their stay in space this week, as a new trio gets used to its new home on orbit. While all six International Space Station residents are in the midst of a crew transition, they are still continuing advanced space research and orbital lab maintenance.