June 16 News Items

European Space Freighter for ISS Hit by Fresh Delay (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
The European Space Agency announced the latest in a long series of delays in the maiden launch of a robot craft designed to resupply the International Space Station. The "Jules Verne", which ESA had previously hoped to launch in the last quarter of 2007, will now lift off "not earlier than mid-January 2008." The unmanned craft, billed as the most sophisticated automated spacecraft ever made, was originally pencilled for launch in late 2004. The Jules Verne, named after the 19th-century French writer, is the first so-called Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Launched by an Ariane-5 rocket, it is designed to dock with the ISS, delivering 7.5 tons of food, water, pressurised air, fuel and experiments. Its engines can also reboost the station's orbit to overcome the effects of lingering atmospheric drag. After six months, the vehicle undocks, bearing station waste, and then burns up in a controlled re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.

Astronaut Sets New Women's World Record (Source: Florida Today)
NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams set a new world record for the longest spaceflight ever by a woman, surpassing a benchmark set 11 years ago on Russia's former Mir space station. Williams, who blasted off from Kennedy Space Center on shuttle Discovery last Dec. 9, eclipsed the old record -- 188 days, four hours. NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid set the previous record during a six-month stint on Mir. Williams' record was established on the 44th anniversary of the launch of the first female to fly in space -- Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. The overall record for the longest U.S. space mission -- 196 days -- is held by former NASA astronauts Carl Walz and Daniel Bursch, who flew on the fourth expedition to the International Space Station. Their mission stretched from December 2000 to June 2001.

Hawaii Plans New Space Research Center, Simulated Moon Base on Big Island (Source: PISCES)
Hawaii lawmakers took a bold step toward independent leadership in space exploration by passing a bill, which was signed June 7 by Gov. Linda Lingle, establishing initial funding for a new research and education center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) plans to offer space technology education for students of all ages, attract high-tech industry, and bolster the island's technical work force through research and training programs using a simulated lunar settlement on the island's volcanic terrain.

The PISCES program will teach space explorers how to live off the land on the moon to produce oxygen for breathing, manufacture rocket fuel, construct habitats, grow food, and use sunlight for heating and electricity. In addition to state funding, the center will be financially supported by partnerships with industries, universities and the governments of space-faring nations. "Several countries are planning lunar exploration missions, and PISCES will be a full partner in these efforts," said the new PISCES director. Visit http://pisces.hilo.hawaii.edu for information.

Moscow Demands Austria Release Russian Space Agency Official (Source: RIA Novosti)
Russia is demanding that Austria immediately release the Russian space agency official arrested in the country earlier in the week, and allow him to return home, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. A 51-year-old Russian Federal Space Agency official was arrested Monday on suspicion of espionage, and an Austrian Air Force officer was arrested on suspicion of supplying the Russian with secret information about electronic instrumentation devices from a German helicopter construction company. The space agency confirmed that the arrested man was an employee. Russia's Foreign Ministry assessed Austria's step "as an unfriendly one damaging bilateral relations." The Russian ministry said the Austrian authorities' actions are out of line with the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which states officials that are part of delegations at UN events enjoy immunity from personal arrest and detention.

Space Tourism Could Benefit All, Says EADS (Source: Reuters)
Europe's leading space firm has defended plans for tourist rides in space after the European Union's industry chief slammed them as a gimmick for the rich. EADS Astrium said this week it planned to build a craft to carry people outside the earth's atmosphere from 2012 as long as they were prepared to pay up to 200,000 euros ($268,000) for a ticket. Speaking with passion about the project, EADS Astrium chief executive Francois Auque refused to be deterred. "The argument that you are working for the rich and beautiful and wealthy is completely incorrect, because our objective is to use the money of the rich to develop technologies that could be useful for everybody," he said. "Space tourism is the cherry on the cake." One spin-off could be quicker development of hyper-sonic long-distance travel in conventional planes, a spokesman said.

Indian Space Institute Location Selected (Source: NewIndPress.com)
Picturesque Ponmudi will not just be a cool holiday spot in the future; it is going to be the place where India’s space scientists are moulded. After checking out a number of spots in the district, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has finally zeroed in on Ponmudi for setting up the main campus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). The IIST will be built on 100 acres at Ponmudi - 55 km east of the city - in two years time.

Virginia Facility Falls Into New Role for NASA's Moon Plans (Source: Virginian-Pilot)
The scene looked like the set of a low-budget film about aliens from outer space. A "spaceship" - consisting of a welded, cone-shaped steel frame with super-sized orange air bags attached - hovered some 35 feet above ground, suspended on cables strung between a massive gantry. Video cameras stood by to capture the action as it hurtled earthward. The 6,700-pound metal module was packed with high-tech instruments to measure such things as velocity, pitch and G -forces. The cameras could record 1,000 frames a second, storing enough data in four seconds to fill a DVD. And the air bags? It's possible they will be used to help cushion the landing of NASA's next lunar spacecraft, the Orion, on its return to Earth.

Here at NASA Langley Research Center, the "drop" test conducted earlier this week was more than just another day at the office. Five years ago, test engineers at Langley feared the worst for their fabled Landing and Impact Research Facility. Built in 1965 to train Apollo astronauts for moon landings and later recycled to conduct crash-impact tests on aircraft, the facility in 2002 was targeted to be closed and demolished because of federal budget cuts. But now, as NASA strives to send humans back to the moon by 2020 and then on to Mars, the agency this summer plans a $2.5 million upgrade to the gantry for the Orion work.

One Union, United Space Alliance Agree to Contract (Source: Florida Today)
NASA shuttle contractor United Space Alliance reached a contract agreement Friday with one of its unions, while another union continued a strike against the company. The 74-member National Federation of Public and Private Employees District 1 voted unanimously to approve a collective-bargaining agreement during a meeting Friday. Details of the agreement were not disclosed. Meanwhile, a strike by the 570-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2061 continued for a second day Friday. The Machinists union and the company have not been able to reach a contract agreement over matters such as wage provisions, health care contributions and job security. No contract talks were scheduled as of late Friday.

Launch Towers to be Toppled Today (Source: Florida Today)
More than 3,600 tons of steel will crash to the surface at Space Launch Complex 36 this morning, when the old mobile service towers are toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Approximately 50 pounds of dynamite strapped to the base of each tower will be detonated about two minutes apart between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to knock the 209-foot-tall towers down. “A majority of the steel will be recycled,” said project officer Jonathan Vanho of the 45th Civil Engineer Squadron. The steel that can’t be recycled will be taken to a landfill at the spaceport.

Editorial: Missing Out on Outer Space (Source: The Hill)
In December 1972, America abandoned the moon. With the completion of the Skylab missions two years later, and after a brief rendezvous with the Russians, our nation’s human space effort was grounded. We had won the battle for space and demonstrated the power of a free people, but the Cold War, the emergence of global terrorism, an oil embargo, civil rights and other issues competed for our nation’s attention and priorities. Our nation now faces a similar gap in manned space flight if our political and congressional leaders don’t act soon.

The American space effort will be stalled and U.S. space leadership will be running out of time. The American astronauts that will fly to the space station will be totally dependent upon Russia, Japan and Europe. We will have to rely on the generosity and goodwill of other nations to maintain a minimal presence in space, as America will be grounded...Shifts in the world’s geopolitical climate are too unpredictable to rely on our allies for access to space — some who clearly intend on challenging our space leadership and whose governments are willing to make the necessary investments to be successful in space exploration.

Astronauts Fix Computers on ISS, Repair Thermal Blanket (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Astronauts on Friday repaired two main computers at the International Space Station after an unprecedented systems breakdown that lasted 48 hours. Technical teams were monitoring the computer system to see how it reacted to the adjustments. Astronauts used a jumper cable to bypass a faulty power switch. Russian flight controllers blamed the glitch on installation of the International Space Station's new solar panels. Russia may send its cargo vessel Progress to the ISS earlier, on July 23 instead of its planned August launch, to deliver spare parts for the computers.

Astronauts also fixed a tear in Atlantis's heat shield during a third spacewalk. Astronauts used surgical staples to pin down a corner of a loose thermal blanket. NASA engineers stressed that the hand-size opening posed no threat to the crew, unlike the broken tile that caused the Columbia to break up on re-entry in February 2003.

Loral Submits Bid in Intelsat Auction (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Loral is among several groups that submitted rival bids to acquire Intelsat Ltd., the largest global commercial-satellite operator, as part of an auction that could wrap up as early as the next few days. Loral, which is believed to be working with partners to finance its bid, is one of three satellite companies vying for Intelsat. The other two bidders, EchoStar and Liberty Media, banded together to put in a competing bid for the Washington-based satellite-services provider. Intelsat is expected to draw bids of $4.5 billion to more than $5.5 billion.

NASA, Confident of Station Fix, Sticks to Schedule (Source: Bloomberg)
NASA said the shuttle will leave the space station next week as scheduled, confident that downed computers are no danger to crew members left behind. When Atlantis pushes away June 19, it will leave behind NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson and cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Koto. If the computers aren't fixed by then, Russia may move up the Aug. 8 launch date of a cargo ship by two weeks to bring spare computer parts.

Atlas 5 Rocket Experiences Problem During Launch (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
An Atlas 5 rocket carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office launch from Cape Canaveral this morning. Officials called the flight a success, but tonight the Air Force announced the rocket had a problem. Aviation Week reports the NRO payload was launched into the wrong orbit today because of a problem with the Atlas 5 rocket. The magazine said the Centaur's second burn was shorter than planned. The report also said the spacecraft, believed to be a pair of ocean surveillance satellites, likely have enough onboard fuel to reach the proper orbit on their own. Whether those unplanned maneuvers would limit the satellites' useful life isn't known.