February 20 News Items

What Should Happen to the Body if an Astronaut Dies on Mars? (Source: Popular Science)
I can say with fair confidence that if an astronaut died on a short mission to the moon, the craft would turn around and come back. But it gets thornier if the astronauts are on Mars, or even halfway there—any place where turning back would be inadvisable or even impossible. There are really only two options for the body: Leave it there or bring it home. My guess is that NASA would make every effort to bring the body home. Returning the body would most likely be incredibly important for the other crewmembers, who would have formed an extremely strong bond with one another during the three-year mission (and although the astronauts chosen for this mission would have such a demeanor that they would be less likely to freak out about sharing the ride home with a dead body, they may need to undergo grief counseling en route).

In addition, when a person dies, his or her body becomes the property of the next of kin, who would have the legal right to ask to have the body returned. NASA would certainly take such a request into consideration. The cause of death could be a huge factor in the decision. If the astronaut died from falling into a canyon, retrieving the body could put other crewmembers at risk. There’s also the extremely remote chance that the astronaut’s suit could suffer a breach and he or she could become infected with a deadly organism that could endanger the rest of the crew—and Earth. There is no evidence that any such organism (or any organism at all) exists on Mars, but there still needs to be a plan in place for this scenario. Without a way to contain its spread, we’d have to leave the body behind. But this in turn raises concerns about contaminating Mars.

Shuttle Launch Postponed Due To ET Delays And Solar Energy Shortage (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The space shuttle Discovery's mission to ship part of the Japanese laboratory Kibo up to the International Space Station will be delayed one month to May 25. The mission was put off by a delay in the delivery of the Discovery's external fuel tank and an unfavorable angle between the sun and the ISS for solar power generation between May 7 and May 25, which could have affected the mission in its originally planned period. The fuel tank was to have been delivered in time for the Discovery's original April 25 launch date. The new date for the Discovery's mission will not impact the rest of the shuttle launch program for 2008.

Are the UK's Space Goals Beyond its Means? (Source: New Scientist)
The British National Space Center's new UK Civil Space Strategy document is at best a case of the left hand of government not knowing what its right hand is doing and at worst a joke in the poorest possible taste. Around two months ago, the UK government emasculated astronomy and physics research funding in the country. Now, the BNSC has produced a 42-page document talking about the future role of the UK in world-leading space initiatives. What planet are they on? It is certainly not Earth.

Effort to Shoot Down Satellite Could Inform Military Strategy (Source: Washington Post)
The Bush administration's attempt to shoot down an out-of-control spy satellite as early as this evening will help the military advance its anti-missile and anti-satellite planning and technology, according to space weapons experts and analysts. Both fields are of high interest to the military and of high concern for many other nations. While U.S. officials have depicted the attempt solely as a precaution against the slim chance that the satellite's hazardous rocket fuel could harm people on Earth, the test will inherently have spillover military consequences, the experts said.

To accomplish this week's task, for example, the Navy has modified its Aegis anti-missile radar system for satellite tracking, making clear that a system designed for missile defense can be transformed into an anti-satellite system in a short time. The attempted shoot-down will also enable the Pentagon to practice using, in an urgent scenario, key elements of its space defense apparatus, including the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and its sophisticated space identification, tracking and targeting system. The attempt will further provide an unscripted opportunity to see whether ship-based missiles can blow up the satellite just as it reenters Earth's atmosphere -- a key moment in any attempt to intercept an intercontinental missile that might someday be launched against the United States.

Shuttle Atlantis Returns to Florida Spaceport After Successful Mission (Source: NASA)
Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 9:07 a.m. EST Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after completing a 13-day journey of nearly 5.3 million miles in space. The STS-122 mission expanded the size and research capabilities of the International Space Station with the delivery of the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory.

California Space Authority Supports Lunar Simulant Testbed (Source: CSA)
The California Space Authority is supporting a JSC-1A Lunar Simulant Testbed program is seeking statements of interest from members who might have interest in ISRU or lunar systems. The potential opportunity outlined in this solicitation represents a unique capability to conduct testing with a large quantity (8 tons) of JSC-1A lunar simulant. Potential uses include operational testing of surface systems, dust mitigation, and surface mobility. The solicitation document can be found at http://regolith.csewi.org/files/CSEWI_LunarSimulantTestbed_RFI.pdf

Cargo Ship May Launch From Virginia (Source: Florida Today)
Orbital Sciences Corp. will invest $150 million of its own money, augmenting approximately $170 million from NASA, to develop a new medium-sized launch vehicle along with an advanced spacecraft and interchangeable modules to haul cargo to the outpost. The company plans to launch a demonstration mission from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia by December 2010. Orbital intends to start launching cargo to the station by 2011, ramping up to a flight rate of eight annual missions to the outpost by 2012. And while the company plans to fly its first missions from Wallops, future launches from Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are not out of the question.

"Wallops is in Virginia, and we're a Virginia company, so there's a logical connection there. They are not too far from our offices -- a few hours -- and we know Wallops real well, so there's a good fit there," Orbital spokesman Barron Beneski said. "Would we ever consider launching from Florida? The answer is yes," he added. "I think it's safe to say that our team is going to look at all options."

The state of Florida already is working with Orbital and is hoping to lure the company to the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. "What Space Florida will do is continue our work to bring them down here for their operational flights once their demonstration flights are completed," said a Space Florida spokeswoman. Orbital beat about a dozen other bidders for the NASA contract. Some of those companies will move forwared with their plans despite losing the NASA contract. Four of the companies already are working with the state on plans to launch from Cape Canaveral.