After 143 Days in Space, Astronauts
Set to Return (Source: CNN)
Nearly five months of cramped living in zero gravity will come to an
end Thursday for one American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts
aboard the International Space Station. Their Soyuz capsule is set to
undock at 8:30 p.m. ET, and land less than three and a half hours later
in Kazakhstan. Soyuz modules are vital to the Russian space program.
They are launched into space as capsules atop a rocket, and are capable
of landing on land, not requiring a body of water to splash down in.
(3/14)
Russia Joins EU-Led ExoMars Expedition
to Red Planet (Source: Russia Today)
Russian space agency Roscosmos will sign a deal on Thursday with the
European Space Agency (ESA), to become a full-fledged partner in the
ExoMars project, which is a new attempt to discover if there is life on
the Red Planet. The mission will drill 30 times deeper beneath the
surface of Mars than the currently operating Curiosity rover. Russia
will supply the mission with two Proton-M rocket carriers, and
facilitate launches from the Baikonur site in Kazakhstan. Russian
scientists are also engaged in creating scientific instruments for the
mission, including a landing platform for the rover.
The first stage of the mission will involve sending a Trace Gas Orbiter
(TGO) to Mars in 2016 to analyze gas in the planet’s atmosphere;
scientists are hoping to find regions rich in methane, which could
signal the existence of life on Mars, though it may also be produced by
geochemical activity. The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator
Module (EDM) will also be sent to Mars in 2016. EDM is a device with no
other purpose except testing the landing process, as ESA has never sent
a rover to Mars.
The first stage of the mission will involve sending a Trace Gas Orbiter
(TGO) to Mars in 2016 to analyze gas in the planet’s atmosphere;
scientists are hoping to find regions rich in methane, which could
signal the existence of life on Mars, though it may also be produced by
geochemical activity. The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator
Module (EDM) will also be sent to Mars in 2016. EDM is a device with no
other purpose except testing the landing process, as ESA has never sent
a rover to Mars. (3/14)
How NASA’s Giant New Space Telescope
Will Make Life On Earth Better (Source: Fast Company)
NASA is responsible for more Earth-bound technologies than just space
ice cream; the organization’s research has led to everything from new
kinds of artificial limbs to better fire-fighting equipment. While at
SXSW, I had the chance to check out a full-scale model of the giant
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a 21-foot in diameter telescope that
will be sent into space in 2018 to find the first galaxies that formed
in our universe. JWST has already taught us a lot, even though it has
yet to be launched. Click here.
(3/14)
Dark Side of the Jam: A NASA Game Jam
Postmortem (Source: Gamasutra)
Jams are a great way to get people to talk to each other, make games,
and generally feel good about the industry and themselves. But what
happens when you hook up directly with a government agency for your
jam? As you might expect, there was good and bad resultant from having
the jam be government-tied, and this postmortem may provide some
lessons for those looking to do sponsorship or institution-tied game
jams in the future. Click here.
(3/14)
50 Years After Discovery, Quasars
Remain Astrono-Mystery (Source: LA Times)
Half a century after the first quasar was spotted, astronomers say they
have yet to shed much light on the behavior of these cosmic beacons.
This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the quasar
-- an extremely bright object powered by matter falling into a
super-massive black hole lying in the heart of a galaxy.
First found in 1963, these strange sources of radio waves initially
stumped astronomers: They shone bright as local stars, but were clearly
too far away to be in our Milky Way galaxy -- earning them the name
quasi-stellar radio sources, or quasars. Eventually, scientists
realized that a galactic black hole would have the power to produce
such strong light at such mind-boggling distances.
Compared with faint galaxies, quasars offered a tantalizing peek into
the very distant universe -- and thus, a look into its past. And
they’re still serving up surprises. Just days ago, astronomers
announced that they had discovered an ultra-rare triplet of quasars,
allowing them a glimpse into the evolution of large structures in the
universe. Some scientists, however, think we haven’t learned enough
from these luminous objects. Click here.
(3/14)
Wolf Threatens To Call NASA Security
Whistleblowers To Testify (Source: Aviation Week)
“Career civil servants” have been coming out of the woodwork with
reports of lax security practices at NASA since Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
raised the issue publicly, and the powerful committee chairman may call
some of the whistleblowers to testify publicly about their charges.
Wolf cited Obama administration documents in warning that a “sustained
attack” on U.S. trade and national security secrets by China and “other
nations of concern” warrants more rigorous efforts to protect secrets
than NASA management has shown. “It is a problem, and I’m not going to
stand by,” Wolf said during a March 13 hearing of the House
Appropriations subcommittee on commerce, science, justice and related
agencies, which he chairs. “I’m going to pursue this thing.” (3/14)
Rand Paul Ridicules NASA-Supported
Food Study at CPAC (Sources: Politifact)
Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, took some shots at what he considered wasteful
federal spending during his speech at the conservative CPAC conference.
He said: "For any of you college students looking for jobs, Uncle Sam’s
got a job for you. The pay’s $5,000, all expenses paid. The study is in
Hawaii. But the requirements are onerous. Only a few can qualify. You
have to like food. The study is to develop a menu for when we colonize
Mars. I’m not making this up. Guess what a bunch of college students
came up with for the menu. Pizza!" Click here.
Editor's Note:
This is one of many Mars analog activities supported by NASA. I might
object to a bunch of NASA civil servants devoting all their time to
this, but enlisting universities and students makes it both educational
and scientifically useful, while also building a cadre of experts who
might support a real Mars mission when we end up doing one.
Food science is a very legitimate issue for long-duration human
spaceflight, and analog missions are probably best suited to this kind
of research. But while, on one hand, NASA is being pressured by
Congress and the public to focus on long-duration human exploration
missions, on the other hand they're being ridiculed for conducting some
of the research that is prerequisite to such missions. (3/14)
Alabama Spaceport Authority Bill
Before State's Legislature (Source: Anniston Star)
Sen. Gerald Dial didn’t cast a vote on the state’s proposed $1.75
billion General Fund budget Tuesday night — and his excuse is out of
this world. Dial was headed for Washington to lobby for the creation of
a commercial spaceport in Alabama. Dial said that in the next few weeks
he’ll introduce a bill that would create an Alabama Spaceport
Authority, within the Alabama Department of Economic and Community
Affairs (ADECA).
A draft of the bill states that the spaceport authority would “identify
public lands for space launch” and “encourage the leveraging of venture
capital and seed public-private partnerships to promote private
enterprise.” Asked whether McClellan would be a good site for a
spaceport, Dial declined to answer. He said identifying one district as
a potential site would cause legislators in other districts to lose
interest.
In the budget passed by the Senate Tuesday, ADECA’s $7.1 million budget
was cut by $1.4 million. Dial said the Spaceport Authority would fund
its work by applying for FAA grants. If the bill passes, the new
spaceport authority would supersede the nine-member Alabama Spaceport
Authority the Legislature created last year. That body, created by a
resolution Dial sponsored, had little power other than to study the
idea of a spaceport. (3/14)
Indiana Spaceport Group Gets Boot at
Airport (Source: The Republic)
Spaceport Indiana, a company that promotes science, technology,
engineering and math teaching and data gathering for near-space
activities, plans to leave its location at Columbus Municipal Airport.
The Columbus Board of Aviation Commissioners voted Tuesday to evict
Spaceport Indiana from its airport location over concerns about its
insurance, use of the property and lease payments. Brian Payne, the
airport director, said the main issue was a lack of insurance
documentation for the company. (3/13)
NASA Official Says Closing Unused
Facilities Could Help Save Money (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Maintaining NASA’s 4,900 facilities across the nation is something
agency officials say they increasingly cannot afford. NASA’s Inspector
General Paul Martin said the agency needs to improve how it
identifies what facilities are being used and considering options to
dispose of infrastructures if there are no future plans for the
facility. Of its facilities, 33 have been identified as ones without
current or future projects.
Echoing current criticisms of the space program’s lack of a clear
mission, Martin said the agency maintains too many programs and not
enough funding. As facilities built for specific projects come to
a conclusion, the facilities are left unused, such as the space shuttle
program which included in 2011. However, closing the facilities create
political tension as lawmakers fight against closing any facility in
their district. Martin said there’s a fight to keep facilities to
maintain viability for housing future projects that would bring more
jobs. (3/13)
Florida Lt. Gov. Carroll Resigns Amid
Probe (Source: Space News)
Florida Gov. Rick Scott will step in to chair the 13-member Space
Florida board of directors following the abrupt resignation March 12 of
his lieutenant governor and Space Florida chairwoman Jennifer Carroll.
Carroll quit amid a law enforcement probe into a Florida Internet
sweepstakes company for which Carroll, a former state representative,
once served as a consultant.
The company, Allied Veterans of the World, has been the target of a
national criminal investigation. “Individuals were arrested [on
Tuesday] for racketeering and money laundering charges in connection
with Allied Veterans of the World’s illegal gambling companies,”
Scott’s chief of staff Adam Hollingsworth said in a March 13 statement.
“Lt. Gov. Carroll resigned in an effort to keep her former affiliation
with the company from distracting from the administration’s important
work on behalf of Florida families. She made the right decision for the
state and her family,” an official said. (3/13)
Improved Ion Engines Will Open Up the
Outer Solar System (Source: GizMag)
Ion engines have been used in space missions for more than four decades
and remain the subject of ongoing research. They have incredible fuel
efficiency, but their low thrust requires very long operating times ...
and therein lies the rub. To date, erosion within such an engine
seriously limits its operational lifetime. Now a group of NASA JPL
researchers has developed a new design that largely eliminates this
erosion, opening the gates for higher thrust and more efficient drives
for manned and unmanned missions to the reaches of the Solar System.
Click here.
(3/14)
Chile Unveils World's Largest
Astronomical Observatory (Source: Xinhua)
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera presided over the launching of the
world's largest astronomical observatory in the remote Atacama Desert
of the northern Chilean Andes. Now the world's most powerful telescope,
the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is the result
of a collaboration between Europe, the U.S., Japan and Chile. Located
5,000 meters above sea level, the assembly of ALMA's antennas was
recently completed and the telescope has already provided
"unprecedented views of the cosmos with only a portion of its full
array," the observatory said. (3/14)
Intelsat Scales Back IPO to $750
Million (Source: Space News)
Satellite fleet operator Intelsat has substantially reduced the size of
its planned initial public offering (IPO) of stock, to $750 million
from $1.75 billion, saying the equity markets’ appetite for a large IPO
is limited and that bond rates and Intelsat’s ongoing debt reduction no
longer argue in favor of a larger offering.
Luxembourg- and Washington-based Intelsat, which filed its initial IPO
registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in
May but never moved forward on it, said it will use the proceeds to pay
down its debt and to make a one-time cash payment to its two principal
owners to terminate the annual $25 million consulting fee that the
owners demand of Intelsat. (3/13)
Could Life Have Evolved on Mars Before
Earth? (Source: Space.com)
The discovery that ancient Mars could have supported microbes raises
the tantalizing possibility that life may have evolved on the Red
Planet before it took root on Earth. New observations by NASA's
Curiosity rover suggest that microbial life could have survived on Mars
in the distant past, when the Red Planet was a warmer and wetter place,
scientists announced.
It's unclear exactly how long ago Mars' habitability window opened up,
researchers said. But the timing may be comparable to that of Earth,
where life first appeared around 3.8 billion years ago. "We're talking
about older than 3 billion years ago, and we're probably looking at a
situation where, plus or minus a couple hundred million years, it's
about the time that we start seeing the first record of life preserved
on Earth," Curiosity chief scientist John Grotzinger said. (3/13)
Mars Paydirt (Source:
Economist)
NASA'S laser-armed, nuclear-powered, car-sized rover Curiosity is not
on Mars to look for signs of life. If modern Martians exist at all—and
there is no evidence that they do—then it will probably be in the form
of tough, slow-growing microbes that dwell under the ground, sheltering
from the solar radiation that bombards a surface only lightly shielded
by a thin, bone-dry atmosphere. But Curiosity is, nevertheless, an
astrobiological mission. One of its main tasks is to determine whether,
at some point in its past, Mars might have had a more accommodating
environment than it does today.
On March 12th a team of NASA scientists announced some fairly strong
evidence that it may have done. A few weeks before, Curiosity had
drilled a small hole in the Martian surface and had deposited the
resulting regolith into its on-board chemistry labs. The rover found
traces of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous and sulphur
(CHNOPS, in the lingo), the six chemical elements that make up the
majority of biological molecules on Earth, and which are thought to be
essential for life. "This is what we call paydirt," said David Blake,
one of the scientists. (3/13)
Congressman Names Employee He Claims
Took NASA Documents to China (Source: Examiner)
Rep. Frank Wolf made public today the identity of a Chinese national
employed by a NASA contractor in a position that gave the man
"extensive access" to the Langley Research Center. The Virginia
Republican told a congressional hearing that Bo Jiang took "voluminous
NASA documents" to his home and to China.
During the same hearing, NASA Inspector-General Paul Martin said Jiang
had "unescorted access" at the Langley facility and he said he believes
there are nearly 200 Chinese nationals working in positions that afford
them significant access to the agency and its programs. Jiang worked
for the National Institute of Aerospace, a Hampton, VA-based non-profit
research institute and NASA contractor, in a position that Wolf said
allowed him to roam at will at NASA's Langley facility.
Weaver said Jiang no longer works at Langley. Officials with NIA did
not return a reporter's telephone calls seeking comment. Langley
conducts classified research work on satellite technologies that have
critical military applications in areas like space-based defense. Also
located adjacent to the NASA facility is Langley Air Force Base, home
to 40 F-22 Raptor stealth attack aircraft, the world's most
sophisticated fighter. (3/13)
No Espionage at NASA Langley,
Inspector General Says (Source: Space News)
NASA’s inspector general said March 13 that the agency does not believe
it is dealing with espionage at the Langley Research Center in Hampton,
Va., where U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) alleges a Chinese national
working for a NASA contractor had unauthorized access to U.S.
technology. NASA counterintelligence experts “don’t believe it’s an
espionage case,” Paul Martin, the agency’s inspector general, said at a
hearing.
Martin was the sole witness at the hearing, which was convened by
subcommittee chairman Wolf, a fierce China critic who just last month
pressed the Justice Department to explain why alleged export control
violations at another NASA center have not been prosecuted. Martin
testified a week after Wolf called a press conference to disclose the
alleged security breach at Langley, a NASA field center largely focused
on aeronautical research.
Wolf cited whistleblower reports from “career NASA people” at the
center as the source of this information. He said the contractor in
question might even have taken NASA hardware and research to China.
Wolf said Langley employees delivered their report to his office in
mid-February, and that this information was immediately shared with the
FBI and the NASA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). (3/13)
NASA Clamps Down on Travel Spending
(Source: FCW)
Event planners hoping to book NASA speakers: You have a problem. The
space agency will continue to cut its travel expenditures and
conference spending in 2013 as it readies for sequestration and makes
good on President Barack Obama’s executive order to promote efficient
agency spending. While travel and conference attendance have not been
banned entirely, the new criteria ensure few if any NASA employees will
be jetting off to events. (3/13)
Houston Think Tank Recommends Role For
China In ISS (Source: Aviation Week)
New recommendations from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public
Policy would fold China into the 15-nation International Space Station
partnership, while examining spacecraft reusability and on-orbit
assembly options in lieu of the Space Launch System/Orion combination
that NASA is currently developing for future U.S. human deep space
missions.
The Obama administration and Congress should also lend robotic space
missions, biomedical research aboard the space station and Earth
observation higher priority in what the Houston think tank envisions as
an era of tight federal sending. “In today’s budget environment and
what is likely to be the budget environment for some time to come, NASA
needs to establish some clear and meaningful priorities,” according to
a Baker Institute assessment led by senior fellow George Abbey.
“Staying on the present course does not provide the nation with a
meaningful and visionary program.”
Chinese partner status in the ISS, currently prohibited by U.S. law,
would restore a much-needed dual crew access capability lost when
NASA’s space shuttle program was retired in mid-2011, according to the
institute’s “Spotlight on the U.S. Space Program: Problems and
Solutions,” published March 11. The review finds U.S. efforts to
establish a commercial crew space transportation capability by 2017
challenged by restricted spending and technical challenges. (3/13)
China Supports Space Debris Reduction
(Points Finger at U.S.?) (Source: Xinhua)
The Chinese government has always supported international action to
reduce space junk, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday. Hua
Chunying said China has taken steps on the matter and is willing to
make further efforts together with other members of the international
community. According to news reports, a Russian nanosatellite likely
collided on January 22 with a piece of orbital debris spawned by a 2007
Chinese anti-satellite test.
Hua said she had noticed the reports. Such comments are neither
professional nor responsible, she said, noting that the space junk
issue is a hangover from the long history of human space activities.
The international community knows well which country has contributed
the greatest amount of space junk, the spokeswoman said. (3/13)
Chinese Lunar Mission: Craft to
Conduct Re-Entry Tests Before 2015 (Source: Xinhua)
An experimental spacecraft will be launched before 2015 to conduct
crucial re-entry tests on the capsule to be used in the Chang'e-5
lunar-sample mission, a leading space program official said. Chang'e-5
is expected to be China's first lunar explorer to return to Earth. The
mission will be carried out before 2020.
The experimental spacecraft will consist of the Chang'e-2 lunar orbiter
base structure as well as the return capsule that will be used by the
Chang'e-5, said Hu Hao, chief designer of the lunar exploration
program's third phase and a deputy to the National People's Congress.
(3/14)
ESA Seeks Innovators for Orbiting
Laboratory (Source: ESA)
ESA is offering software developers the opportunity to use its new
testbed in space. The robust nanosat will allow individuals, companies
and institutions to try out pioneering software without the danger of
losing a mission. Satellites are so complex and costly that their
controllers cannot afford to take risks. The need for reliability means
that onboard and ground control software has not altered significantly
in the past 20 years. But the tiny Ops-Sat, a CubeSat combining
commercial off-the-shelf technology and ESA expertise, is a chance to
try out new ideas in space as early as 2015. (3/13)
Hoyer: NASA Goddard Could See
Sequestration Layoffs (Source: Greenbelt Patch)
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) said Tuesday that although NASA
Goddard's budget won't be affected much by the sequestration, its
contracts with some local businesses could be reduced or eliminated,
leading to possible layoffs. “While, thankfully, it appears that NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center may not be as severely affected as some
other NASA centers, we are still likely to see local businesses that
contract with NASA and with the military, like many of you here today,
take a significant hit," Hoyer said.
The sequester would also cut into research funds, he said, which might
reduce the number of student pursuing careers in STEM fields. He said
in the weeks ahead he'll continue to promote a "balance solution that
can avert the full impact of these cuts on our District and on your
businesses." (3/13)
Scott Will Fill In as Space Florida
Lead (Source: Florida Today)
Space Florida lost a passionate and tireless advocate with the
resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who chaired the agency’s
board of directors, board members and industry representatives said.
Her departure, however, is not expected to hurt the Brevard
County-based agency’s agenda as the state’s spaceport authority and
aerospace economic development organization.
Outsiders also credited Carroll for getting up to speed on and
promoting space issues, and, as a Navy veteran, knowing how to
communicate with military officials and contractors. “She was very
effective,” said Edward Ellegood, a space policy analyst at
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. “Her efforts
were always paid attention to by the Legislature, by industry, by the
federal government, as well. So she brought a lot to the industry at a
time when we really need it.” (3/14)
Super-Dense Celestial Bodies Could be
a New Kind of Planet (Source: Nature)
Mysterious dense bodies outside the Solar System could be the remnants
of ice giants similar to Neptune that wandered too close to their suns.
Among the most puzzling finds of NASA’s Kepler space mission to find
exoplanets are bodies too heavy for their size. In some of the rare
cases in which astronomers can estimate both the mass and the size of
distant planets discovered by the probe, the objects have radiuses
similar to that of Earth but are denser than pure iron. (3/13)
Alien Life May Be Hard to Find or
Non-Existent (Source: SEN)
The abundance of life in many forms on Earth may lead us to assume
there will be life on exoplanets if the conditions for life as we know
it are found to exist. However, there may in fact be no life in the
Universe at all according to Professor Cockell, director of the UK
center for astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh. "On our planet,
carbon leaches into most habitat space and provides energy for
microorganisms to live. There are only a few vacant habitats that may
persist for any length of time on Earth, but we cannot assume that this
is the case on other planets." (3/14)
Galactic Baby Boom Took Place Earlier
Than Thought (Source: LA Times)
Cosmologists peering into distant, dust-enshrouded galaxies have found
that they are far older and more numerous than previously thought.
Their findings push back the birth of these massive star-creation
engines and add more precision to the model of how our expanding
universe evolved. “It doesn’t say when the universe began,” said
Joaquin Vieira, an observational cosmologist at Caltech and lead author
of the paper. “What it does change is when the most massive galaxies in
the universe were born. It pushed it back by a billion years.” (3/13)
Telescopes Discover Bursts of Star
Formation in the Early Universe (Source: NSF)
Distant, dust-filled galaxies were bursting with newborn stars much
earlier in cosmic history than previously thought, according to newly
published research. So-called "starburst galaxies" produce stars at the
equivalent of a thousand new suns per year. Now, astronomers have found
starbursts that were churning out stars when the universe was just a
billion years old. (3/13)
ESA, Roscosmos Formalize ExoMars Pact (Source:
Space News)
The heads of the European and Russian space agencies on March 14 signed
a long-expected agreement to cooperate on a two-launch Mars exploration
mission that will see a European telecommunications orbiter, trace-gas
sensor and a rover vehicle sent to Mars in 2016 and 2018 aboard Russian
Proton rockets. Russia will also provide the entry, descent and landing
module for the 2018 mission, which will carry the European rover.
ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Vladimir Popovkin, head
of Russia’s Roscosmos agency, signed an agreement that makes it all but
certain that the ExoMars mission will be completed. On the European
side, Dordain has yet to secure all the funding needed for ESA’s
1.2-billion-euro ($1.6 billion) share of ExoMars. But enough funds have
been raised to keep the 2016 mission on track, and Dordain has proposed
to raise further funds by enlisting the support of ESA’s science
program.
Ultimately, a Russian Proton rocket may be used to carry ESA’s Juice
satellite to Jupiter, with the cash saved at ESA to be invested in
ExoMars’ 2018 mission. This scenario has yet to be approved by Europe’s
Science Program Committee. (3/14)
Embraer Reports Profit for Q4, Full
Year (Source: Reuters)
Embraer reported a profit for the fourth quarter, as well as the full
year of 2012. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer received a boost from
a more stable exchange rate during the fourth quarter. Embraer
delivered 23 commercial aircraft and 53 executive jets during the
quarter. (3/13)
Democrats Propose Cuts, Tax Increases
to Chop Sequester (Source: Defense News)
Senate Democrats have put forward a budget that would cut the Defense
Department's sequestration hit in half by raising revenue through
corporate tax increases and spending cuts. The measure, which
Republicans criticize for the revenue increases, would leave the
Pentagon with about $240 billion in cuts, instead of the $500 billion
called for under sequestration. (3/13)
Extreme Universe Space Observatory
Planned for ISS in 2017 (Source: Spaceports Blog)
NASA has awarded $4.4 million to a collaboration of scientists at five
United States universities and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to
help build a telescope for deployment on the International Space
Station in 2017. The U.S. collaboration is part of a 13-nation effort
to build the 2.5-meter ultraviolet telescope, called the Extreme
Universe Space Observatory. The telescope will search for the
mysterious source of the most energetic particles in the universe,
called ultra high-energy cosmic rays, from the ISS’s Japanese
Experiment Module. (3/13)
Micro-Gravity Affects Processes
Involved in Reproduction, Brain Diseases, Cancer (Source: U. of
Montreal)
Researchers found that changes in gravity affect the reproductive
process in plants. Gravity modulates traffic on the intracellular
"highways" that ensure the growth and functionality of the male
reproductive organ in plants, the pollen tube. "Our findings offer new
insight into how life evolved on Earth and are significant with regards
to human health, as a traffic jam on these highways that also exist in
human cells can cause cancer and illnesses such as Alzheimer's."
The interior of animal and plant cells is like a city, with
factories—called organelles—dedicated to manufacturing, energy
production and waste processing. A network of intracellular "highways"
enables the communication between these factories and the delivery of
cargo between them and between the inside of the cell and its external
environment. Plant cells have a particularly busy highway system.
"Researchers already knew that humans, animals and plants have evolved
in response to Earth's gravity, and that they are able to sense it,"
Geitmann explained. (3/13)
OHB Enjoying Double-Digit Growth
(Source: Space News)
Satellite and rocket hardware builder OHB AG of Germany reported a 14
percent increase in revenue in 2012, to 632.7 million euros ($835
million), with operating earnings also up 14 percent and backlog
reaching a record 1.64 billion euros. OHB, which is prime contractor
for Europe’s Galileo constellation of positioning, navigation and
timing satellites and co-prime for the Meteosat Third Generation
weather satellite system, said revenue in 2013 should increase by at
least 10 percent. (3/14)
Higgs Boson Discovery Confirmed
(Source: Huffington Post)
The search is all but over for a subatomic particle that is a crucial
building block of the universe. Physicists announced Thursday they
believe they have discovered the subatomic particle predicted nearly a
half-century ago, which will go a long way toward explaining what gives
electrons and all matter in the universe size and shape.
The elusive particle, called a Higgs boson, was predicted in 1964 to
help fill in our understanding of the creation of the universe, which
many theorize occurred in a massive explosion known as the Big Bang.
The particle was named for Peter Higgs, one of the physicists who
proposed its existence, but it later became popularly known as the "God
particle."
The discovery would be a strong contender for the Nobel Prize. Last
July, scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or
CERN, announced finding a particle they described as Higgs-like, but
they stopped short of saying conclusively that it was the same particle
or was some version of it. Scientists have now finished going through
the entire set of data. (3/14)
Titan Moon Gas: Mysterious Glow On
Saturn's Moon Remains Unidentified (Source: Science Now)
A fluorescent glow high in the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest
moon, signifies the presence of a gas that astronomers have yet to
identify. Data gathered by the Saturn-orbiting Cassini craft during
Titan flybys show that the spectral emission is strongest at an
infrared wavelength of about 3.28 micrometers. That wavelength is very
near one where emissions of methane, a gas prevalent in Titan's
atmosphere, are also strong-—one reason that emissions from the unknown
gas were previously obscured, the researchers note. (3/14)
MDA Satellite Contract Move Infuriates
Canadian Government (Source: SpaceRef)
In a move that has blindsided the government, MacDonald, Dettwiler and
Associates Ltd. (MDA) is considering not subcontracting a significant
piece of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) to Magellan Aerospace
as was expected. Magellan had already been awarded a $6 million
contract in 2009 to for a Phase B Preliminary Design of the RCM
satellite bus. The satellite bus can best be described as the
infrastructure of a spacecraft, or chassis, which provides locations
for the payloads.
In the case of RCM, the bus was to have been based on the Magellan
MAC-200, a made-in-Canada satellite bus first used for the Canadian
Space Agency CASSIOPE satellite which is scheduled to launch this
summer. However sources tell SpaceRef that MDA plans on using its
newest asset, the newly acquired U.S. based Space Systems/Loral (SS/L),
which has extensive experience building satellites, to build the
satellite bus for RCM.
It was January 9th that the government announced the full funding of
the nearly $1 billion dollar program in which MDA selected as the prime
contractor. However the government expected Magellan to be selected as
one of the subcontractors and to provide the satellite bus for all
three satellites of the RCM. When contacted the Canadian Space Agency
said: "The Government of Canada has a contract with MDA to produce the
three satellite RADARSAT Constellation. The Government of Canada
expects MDA to respect the terms and conditions of the contract. (3/13)
Canadian Commands Space Station for
First Time (Source: AFP)
With the ringing of a ceremonial bell in space to mark a crew change,
astronaut Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to assume command of
the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Canadian Space Agency
called it "a historic milestone for our country." (3/14)
Canadian Astronaut Steps Back From
Political Campaign (Source: Space Politics)
The former president of the Canadian Space Agency and Canada’s first
man in space won’t be seeking higher office any time soon. Marc Garneau
announced Wednesday that he will no longer seek the leadership of the
Liberal Party, which would have put him in line to become prime
minister if the party took power in a future election. Garneau said he
made the decision after polling indicated another candidate, Justin
Trudeau, had an overwhelming lead. (3/14)
KSC Visitor Complex Offers Public
Viewing of Atlas V Launch on March 19 (Source: KSCVC)
Experience the powerful sights and sounds of the thunderous roaring
engines of a 191-foot-tall Atlas V rocket as it launches into the sky
on March 19. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests may view the
launch from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, the closest possible public
viewing area, or a special area at the Visitor Complex. The rocket will
blast off from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport with a
launch window from 5:21 to 6:01 p.m. ET.
Special launch viewing areas for guests and live launch commentary from
mission control are included in admission to the Visitor Complex.
Guests should arrive before 3:30 p.m. to ensure transportation to the
Apollo/Saturn V Center. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will
launch the U.S. military's second Space Based Infrared System
Geosynchronous satellite, or SBIRS GEO 2, for missile early-warning
detection. (3/13)
Swiss Space Systems Debuts, Plans
Air-Launch System (Source: NewSpace Watch)
Swiss Space Systems (S3) officially opened today and unveiled its plan
for an air launch system for small satellites up to 250 kg. The system
will consist of an Airbus A300, a reusable unmanned spaceplane, which
is based on the Dassault VEHRA-VSH-k1000 design, and an upper stage
rocket. The spaceplane will ride atop the A300 to an altitude where it
will be released and then it will fire its liquid fueled engines. The
spaceplane will go to 80 km where it will, in turn, release an
expendable rocket to take the satellite to orbit.
First test flights are planned for 2017. S3 says they have securred
funding from private investors sufficient to bring the proejct to
completion. They have also secured several institutional contracts to
launch small satellites. The S3 headquarters are located in Payerne,
Switzerland and that is also where the first flights will take place.
Several European aerospace companies and organizations are listed as
partners and sponsors including Dassault Aviation, ESA and the von
Karman Institute. In addition Spaceport Malaysian and Stanford
University are involved. Breitling is listed as the "main sponsor". Here
are some graphics and an animation of their proposed facility. (3/13)
Spaceport Indiana Moving to New Home
(Source: Spaceport Indiana)
Spaceport Indiana will leave Columbus Airport for a new home. Spaceport
could not come to terms with the Airport Board of Commissioners
regarding insurance and other issues. Spaceport attempted to make a
home for HAM Radio group in Columbus as a way to offer more disaster
response capabilities and was opposed by the Airport Board. Spaceport
will continue all prgramming as it looks for suitable location.
Spaceport will still build its UAV training program and other programs
in the next several months. (3/13)
Titusville Airport's Spaceport Bill On
Hold (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The countdown for legislation designed to attract new aerospace
businesses to the Space Coast Regional Airport is in a temporary hold
in the Legislature, as the House bill's author works to fix a glitch in
the state's fiscal impact projection for the bill. Rep. Tom Goodson,
R-Titusville, put the hold on his bill (HB 135) just ahead of an
appearance before the House Transportation and Economic Development
Committee on Tuesday. He is challenging the conclusion by state
economists that creating a spaceport at Space Coast Regional Airport
would cost the state revenue.
The state's Revenue Estimating Conference has projected that a
spaceport would result in at least a $100,000-a-year hit to state
revenue because the designation would allow tax exemptions on machinery
and equipment tied to aerospace activities. Goodson disputes the
economists' model, which assumes or concludes that the
aerospace-related businesses would come to Florida regardless of the
incentives.
Editor's Note:
This article gave the incorrect impression that the Titusville
airport/spaceport initiative is part of Florida's effort to accommodate
a new vertical launch facility for SpaceX. Space Florida's Shiloh
launch site initiative is totally separate. Perhaps the Space Coast
Regional Spaceport folks are hoping that they can host SpaceX
manufacturing operations if the company does decide to launch from
Shiloh. (3/13)
Russia Mulls Beacons and the Bomb to
Thwart Asteroids (Source: Space Daily)
Russian officials on Tuesday proposed ideas ranging from planting
beacon transmitters on asteroids to megaton-sized nuclear strikes to
avert the threat from meteor collisions with the Earth. Saving the
world from asteroid strikes has moved out of the realm of science
fiction in Russia into a political reality.
Russian space agency chief Vladimir Popovkin told a special conference
at the Federation Council, the Russian upper house, that Russia was
closely following the asteroid Apophis that is due to come close to the
Earth in 2036. "We want to put a beacon on the asteroid Apophis to
ascertain its exact orbit and work out what further actions to take
with respect to the asteroids approach to the Earth in 2036," he said
quoted by Russian news agencies. (3/12)
Texas Takes Lead in SpaceX Launch Site
Competition (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
"Right now, Texas is in the lead [for SpaceX's next launch site]" Elon
Musk told the Texas lawmakers. Musk's comment further heightens the
competition for space-related businesses between Florida, Texas and
other states, including Virginia, Georgia, California and Puerto Rico.
"It concerns us greatly," said Jerry Sansom, chairman of the
Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority, which operates Space Coast
Regional. "When you look at the Texas legislature, they're taking him
very serious that they're going to do everything they can to sweeten
the pot." (3/12)
Florida Officials, Elon Musk Differ on
Leader in Race for SpaceX Site (Source: Florida Today)
Florida remains a contender to become SpaceX’s base for commercial
launches, state officials said Tuesday, days after CEO Elon Musk said
Texas was leading the competition to win the business. Space Florida
CEO Frank DiBello said a proposed commercial launch complex at Kennedy
Space Center would present SpaceX with a compelling business case.
“If he makes his business decision on a pure business case, or business
logic, I’m confident that we can put a very attractive and even winning
proposal in front of him,” DiBello told FLORIDA TODAY. “If there are
other factors driving that decision, there are other customers for what
we’re looking at. But clearly we want to attract a greater SpaceX
presence here, along with many other players.” (3/12)
‘Driving’ Satellites: A Complex
Undertaking, Not a Cheap Date (Source: Space Safety)
There is a lot more to getting a satellite launched and working than
just bolting it to a rocket and flinging it loose. Once the satellite
is in orbit, it’s not ready to use on the first day. Engineers and
operators need to slowly and carefully activate and test out all of the
equipment and operating modes.
Spacecraft are generally launched in mode with only a few components
operating, the minimum needed to maintain proper pointing and
communication with the ground. This is done in case of any problems
with the rocket or deploying of solar arrays and antennas. Over the
first few days more components are turned on, and software settings and
parameters are adjusted as these changes affect the operating modes.
The spacecraft is checked out between each step, and since the ground
is not in constant contact with the spacecraft, this can take many
days. (3/13)
No comments:
Post a Comment