Launch Of SpaceX Workers' $4M Wage
Deal Delayed (Source: Law360)
A California judge on Tuesday grounded a former Space Exploration
Technologies Corp. employee's attempt to intervene and block the
company's $3.9 million settlement of 3,800 workers' claims they were
underpaid, but held off on approving the deal without some procedural
tweaks. (9/6)
Soyuz Trio Blaze Through Atmosphere to
Land in Kazakstan (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
After orbiting Earth for 172 days, three members the International
Space Station’s (ISS) Expedition 48 crew undocked their Soyuz TMA-20M
spacecraft from the outpost and barreled through the atmosphere a
couple hours later to land on the Steppe of Kazakhstan. (9/7)
A Space Error: $370 Million for an
Integer Overflow (Source: HowNot2Code)
Start. 37 seconds of flight. KaBOOM! 10 years and 7 billion dollars are
turning into dust. The programmers were to blame for everything. Four
satellites, 2,600 lb, of the Cluster scientific program (study of the
solar radiation and Earth’s magnetic field interaction) and a
heavy-lift launch vehicle Ariane 5 turned into “confetti” June 4, 1996.
The previous model-rocket Ariane 4 has been successfully launched more
than 100 times. What could go wrong? Apparently, to conquer space, one
should know Ada language well. The built-in computer IRS2 passed
incorrect data, because it diagnosed a contingency, having “caught” an
exception that was thrown by one of the software modules. At the same
time the on-board computer could not switch to the backup system IRS 1
because it had already ceased to function during the previous cycle
(which took 72 milliseconds) – for the same reason as the IRS 2. Click here.
(9/2)
Orion's Aggressive Launch Plan Hurt by
'Funding Instability' (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A report issued by NASA's inspector general Tuesday said that "much
work remains" in the space agency's effort to prepare its Orion
spacecraft for an eventual flight to Mars in the 2030s. Among the
obstacles facing NASA, according to the report, are delivery delays of
a service module for the spacecraft, multiple financial shortfalls and
the need for a successful test flight in September 2018 that will send
Orion around the moon.
The report found that "officials are working toward an optimistic
internal launch date of August 2021 for (a crewed test launch around
the moon) – 20 months earlier than the agency's external commitment
date of April 2023." According to the report, officials are "concerned"
that the schedule, along with the program's budget, will ultimately
mean deferments of certain tasks, resulting in a delay to the schedule
and increased costs. (9/6)
Earth's Carbon Points to Planetary
Smashup (Source: Space Daily)
In a new study this week in Nature Geoscience, Rice petrologist Rajdeep
Dasgupta and colleagues offer a new answer to a long-debated geological
question: How did carbon-based life develop on Earth, given that most
of the planet's carbon should have either boiled away in the planet's
earliest days or become locked in Earth's core?
The ratio of volatile elements in Earth's mantle suggests that
virtually all of the planet's life-giving carbon came from a collision
with an embryonic planet approximately 100 million years after Earth
formed. "Even before this paper, we had published several studies that
showed that even if carbon did not vaporize into space when the planet
was largely molten, it would end up in the metallic core of our planet,
because the iron-rich alloys there have a strong affinity for carbon,"
Dasgupta said. (9/7)
NASA Tests New Insulation for SLS
Rocket (Source: Space Daily)
You may not think about insulation much, but it's one of those unsung
industry heroes that keeps our drinks cold and homes warm on those
bone-chilling winter days. Insulation also is a key component to
protecting NASA's Space Launch System and its super-cold fuels for the
journey to Mars. Different types of cryogenic foam - used for very low
temperatures - will insulate the rocket's core stage and launch vehicle
stage adapter, which connects the core stage to the interim cryogenic
propulsion stage (ICPS).
Three types of foam have been developed and are being tested for SLS.
The foams are all closed-cell materials, which means they are stronger
and have greater resistance to heat flow and moisture. They also are
non-ozone-depleting and flame resistant.
The different types of insulation are applied by varying methods:
automatically by a robot; manually using a hand-held spray system; and
hand mixed for pouring into molds. "With some parts of the rocket being
so massive, like the core stage, robotic applications help reduce time
and manpower with more control and continuous sprays," said Amy Buck,
SLS core stage insight lead. The thickness of the insulation varies
depending on the hardware, but it is typically about one inch. (9/7)
Japanese Team Unveils Moon Rover Design
(Source: CBC)
Japanese space race team Hakuto unveiled its lunar rover design on
Monday for next year's Google-sponsored Lunar X PRIZE competition. At
58 centimeters long and 36 centimeters high, the prototype weighs only
4 kilograms. The weight is kept down by using the latest carbon fiber
material typically used for aircraft. Each wheel is equipped with
motors, allowing for smooth maneuverability on the moon's surface.
Google launched its Lunar X Prize competition in 2007 to encourage
space entrepreneurs to create a new era of affordable access to the
moon. The competition, which will be held next year, involves landing a
privately-funded rover on the moon, which should then travel 500
metres, and transmit back high definition video and images. The first
team to successfully complete the mission will scoop the $20 million US
prize. (8/30)
Blasting to Conclusions
(Source: Space Review)
An explosion during a test last week destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and
its satellite payload, and damaged its launch pad. Jeff Foust examines
the implications of the accident for SpaceX and other companies and
organizations. Click here.
(9/6)
How We Settle Mars is More Important
Than When (Source: Space Review)
Much of the discussion about human missions to Mars has focused on the
technical challenges of such missions. Joelle Renstrom argues that the
various ethical considerations of such missions should not be ignored.
Click here.
(9/6)
A Seven-Year Mission (Source:
Space Review)
On Thursday, a NASA mission to collect samples from an asteroid is
scheduled to lift off. Jeff Foust reports on goals of the OSIRIS-REx
mission, which range from understanding the origins of the solar system
to paving the way for future asteroid mining efforts. Click here.
(9/6)
The Best Reason to Go to Mars
(Source: Space Review)
There are no shortage of reasons why humans should travel to Mars. Eric
Hedman describes how the effort needed for such an expedition could
catalyze technological development and education, helping improve
conditions for people around the world. Click here.
(9/6)
Construction of Vostochny Spaceport to
Be Completed in 2016 (Source: Space Daily)
Russian space agency Roscosmos expects the construction of the
Vostochny Cosmodrome to be completed by the end of 2016, Roscosmos
General Director Igor Komarov said Friday. "We must solve all remaining
issues in the nearest future to accelerate the completion of
construction and finish it by year-end," Komarov told Rossiya-24. (9/5)
Russian Space Agency Plans to Launch Satellite to Study Sun Layers in
2025 (Source: Space Daily)
Russia's Roscosmos space corporation plans to develop and launch a
satellite to study external layers of the sun in 10 years, according to
the public procurement portal data. It is noted that the research and
development work should be conducted within Russia's federal space
program 2016-2025, which prescribes fundamental studies of the sun.
(9/5)
Ignore Workforce Issues At Your Peril
(Source: Aviation Week)
Aerospace and defense (A&D) is among the most dynamic, challenging
and evolving industries. Today, external influences adding to the
industry’s complexity include uncertain global economics, tight defense
budgets, innovative technology needs and an ever-evolving industrial
base. Additionally, workforce issues in aerospace and defense are
near the top of the list of challenges facing the industry for several
reasons.
First, retirement eligibility continues to grow, increasing the
ever-looming “retirement bubble.” Second, this retirement bubble, along
with few new defense program starts and increased commercial
competition, creates a difficult environment for workforce planning,
even with significant improvements in workforce planning tools and
techniques in recent years.
Third, increasing, direct competition for A&D skills, within and
outside the industry, is creating difficulty in attracting and
retaining talent. These challenges have implications not just for the
human resource team, but for the business and industry as a whole.
Click here.
(8/29)
Could The U.S. Military Lose Its
Connection To Space? (Source: Aviation Week)
The American military leverages and relies on an uninterrupted flow of
data, communications and sensing like no other. The use of space-based
assets to facilitate intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
(ISR), precision navigation and targeting, and command and control is
extensive, and the information is distributed widely to commands and
platforms as well as devices.
This space-enabled toolkit is powerful. And like many tools whose use
is so pervasive, there is a tendency to take this asset for granted.
But lately the military is asking, “What if it got interrupted? How
would U.S. forces fight and operate without information clarity?” The
possibility of gaps in the military’s space-linked connectivity is not
a subject the Pentagon—an institution devoted to the study of
worst-case scenarios—will engage with publicly.
Rather, the Air Force, which commands more than 90% of the overall
space budget, contends its infrastructure is too layered and
agile to disrupt. For the past 2.5 years, it has conducted a strategic
review assessing U.S. space architecture vulnerabilities, resilience
and possible mitigation measures. Click here.
(9/5)
Technical Issues Surpass Budgetary
Ones to Delay Commercial Crew (Source: Space News)
A NASA report expects that the first commercial crew missions will be
delayed until at least late 2018 because of technical issues. The
report, prepared by NASA's Office of Inspector General and completed
prior to the Sept. 1 Falcon 9 explosion, found that both Boeing and
SpaceX have been experiencing technical problems in their development
of their crew vehicles that will push back test flights and make it
unlikely either will be ready to begin regular crew transfer flights
until late 2018. That raises the possibility that NASA may need to
acquire additional Soyuz seats should those vehicles experience
additional delays. (9/6)
Serious Budget Cuts Coming for
Russia's Space Agency (Source: Tass)
Roscosmos is anticipating "rather serious" cuts in its budget in the
coming years. Igor Komarov, head of the state space corporation, said
the exact size of the cut will not be known for several months as the
Russian federal budget is developed. Komarov warned that the cuts could
affect development of the country's new spaceport, the Vostochny
Cosmodrome, delaying work on additional facilities there. (9/6)
Mars Water Signs Could Reroute
Curiosity Rover (Source: Nature)
Streaks on Mars linked to flowing water could force NASA's Curiosity
rover to make a detour. Curiosity is currently ascending Mount Sharp, a
mountain in the center of Gale Crater where dark streaks known as
recurring slope lineae have been spotted by scientists. These streaks
may be created by liquid water, although recent research suggests the
amount of water they contain may be far less than previously thought.
However, concerns about contamination should Curiosity approach those
streaks could require the rover to stay well away from them,
complicating its ascent of the mountain. (9/6)
Congress Girds for Defense Spending,
Policy Fights (Source: Defense News)
When Congress returns from an extended recess after Labor Day, it is
expected to finish work on its annual defense policy and appropriations
measures — but President Barack Obama has issued a veto threat that
hangs over it all.
Whether Republican leadership wants to joust with the president on the
2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to score political
points in an election year remains an open question. Earlier this year,
a Pew poll found public support for increased defense spending had
climbed to its highest level since a month after the 9/11 terrorist
attacks.
“Do they want a fight, or do they see where President Obama vetoed the
bill last year where there was no political outcome?” Justin Johnson,
of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, said
of GOP leaders in Congress. “Do they want a fight right before the
election, or do they choose to wait until after the election to try to
negotiate an outcome?" (9/2)
What Happened to Sea Launch?
(Source: LaunchSpace)
Sea Launch is a unique space launch system intended to be an attractive
way to launch geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites. It was
developed as a multinational endeavor that uses a mobile maritime
launch platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on a
specialized Zenit-3SL launch system. The first launch took place in
March 1999 with launches occurring for the next 15 years. A total of 36
attempts produced 32 complete successes and one partial success. Click here.
(9/7)
SpaceX Scours Data to Try to Pin Down
Cause Rocket Explosion (Source: Space Daily)
"We are currently in the early process of reviewing approximately 3000
channels of telemetry and video data covering a time period of just
35-55 milliseconds," SpaceX spokesman Phil Larson said in a statement.
The investigation will be oversighted by the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration and also has the participation of the U.S. space agency
NASA, the U.S. Air Force and other industry experts, Larson said. (9/7)
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