June 25 News Items

Mars Air Once Had Moisture, New Soil Analysis Says (Source: Eurekalert)
A new analysis of Martian soil data led by University of California, Berkeley, geoscientists suggests that there was once enough water in the planet's atmosphere for a light drizzle or dew to hit the ground, leaving tell-tale signs of its interaction with the planet's surface. The study's conclusion breaks from the more dominant view that the liquid water that once existed during the red planet's infancy came mainly in the form of upwelling groundwater rather than rain. (6/25)

Griffin: Will He Stay or Will He Go? (Source: Florida Today)
A fan of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson would like to see the space agency chief stay on after the presidential election in November and continue leading the nation's effort to complete the International Space Station, retire the shuttle fleet and then return American astronauts to the moon. During a field hearing in Port Canaveral, Nelson bemoaned inevitable job losses at Kennedy Space Center after the last shuttle mission in 2010, but he also went out of his way to note that he thinks Griffin is doing a good job in trying times. "I think whoever the next president is, we're going to request to him that he keep you as administrator of NASA," Nelson told Griffin at a KSC workforce transition hearing held by the Senate subcommittee on space, aeronautics and related sciences.

A registered engineer in Maryland and California, Griffin holds a bachelors degree in physics, five masters degrees and a PhD. in aerospace engineering. He was the lead author of a textbook on spacecraft design, served as chief engineer and head of exploration at NASA during the early 1990s and also was the deputy for technology at the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. He's the smartest guy in whatever room he walks into. (6/25)

University of Arizona Looking Beyond the 'Phoenix' Mars Mission (Source: Wildcat)
The fun won't be over when the UA-led Phoenix Mars Lander's batteries fail and its computers freeze up in the Martian arctic after the end of its three-month mission. With the permanent Science Operations Center now built in Tucson - and the recognition the UA enjoys as the first university to lead a mission to another planet - university officials are saying that 'Phoenix' is only just beginning to pay dividends to the school.

The long-term impact of the mission will be to draw more and more dollars, talent and fame to the UA community, as well as making it a permanent player in space exploration. Peter Smith, who leads the 'Phoenix' team as its principal investigator, summed up the mission's importance to the UA in one word: "Prestige." "The university is trying to become a world-class research facility," he said. "Having a mission like this - returning some really impressive science about an unexplored region of Mars - that puts us on the map." (6/25)

NASA Raises Ares V Lift (Source: Aerospace Daily)
NASA planners have tentatively added an engine to its planned Ares V moon rocket, and increased the length of its shuttle-derived solid-rocket boosters to accommodate a larger hydrogen tank, as early work on lunar surface operations gets under way. As now conceived, the Ares V will use six Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 engines to power its core stage, and twin five-and-a-half segment versions of the four-segment ATK shuttle solid boosters. Previous Ares V concepts had five RS-68s and twin five-segment boosters.

That configuration was "a couple of tons short" of the throw weight needed to get the planned Altair lunar lander and an Orion crew exploration vehicle to the moon, so the agency's exploration launch vehicles office at Marshall Space Flight Center has been considering higher-powered options. As currently conceived, the Ares V will be able to deliver more than 156,600 pounds to the moon. With its size limited by the height of the doors in the Vehicle Assembly Building, it will stand some 381 feet tall in the current concept. The J-2X engine in development to power the Ares I upper stage will also power the Ares V upper stage - known as the Earth Departure Stage - that will drive the Altair and a four-seat Orion to lunar orbit.

Although the extra half-segment on the solid-rocket boosters will add some lift to the Ares V, its main contribution will be to raise the structural pass-through that holds the solid boosters to the core stage. That, in turn, will allow a larger liquid hydrogen tank to fit under the pass-through to keep the RS-68B engines burning longer. (6/25)

CU-Boulder Students Set To Launch Student Rocket Payloads (Source: CU-Boulder)
A NASA sounding rocket launching from Virginia on June 27 will carry one University of Colorado at Boulder student payload to measure greenhouse gases and 19 other payloads developed by teams from around the nation from kits produced by CU-Boulder students. The CU-Boulder payload, developed by a team of undergraduates from the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, or COSGC, will provide an atmospheric profile of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. (6/25)

Continuing Work on ISS is Key Goal of USA for the Next 10 Years (Source: Avio News)
To exploit the International Space Station (ISS) is the key-goal of NASA for the next 10 years, according to the French press after an interview to Michael Griffin, US Space Agency Administrator. "In this way I reply to who declares the US intends to abandon ISS. It is planning to build and utilize in the best way the orbiting station for the next 10 years. ISS is a priority for US", said Griffin. According to his statements, it is forecast to double the number of crews in 2009, and to finish the construction within 2010. (6/25)

SpaceX Launch Delayed by Range Tie-Up (Source: SpaceFlightNow.com)
The military informed SpaceX last week that mandatory support equipment and tracking stations in the Pacific Ocean are booked through the end of July, forcing officials to delay launch of the next Falcon 1 rocket, the company's founder said Friday. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Space Exploration Technologies Corp., said the U.S. Army range at Kwajalein Atoll will be busy with other activities for the next month. "Launch is no sooner than late July to early August," Musk said. "We will use the time to do additional checkouts. (6/25)

Czechs Join European Space Agency (Source: Ceskenoviny)
The Czech Republic has officially become a member of the European Space Agency (ESA). The ESA is a multinational research and development organization with a focus on space exploration. Established in 1975, it associates 17 EU members. It is a respected and equal partner of the U.S. NASA, the Russian Space Agency and the Japanese NASDA. "ESA full membership will be of tremendous importance for Czech science," Education Minister Ondrej Liska said. The decision to admit the Czech Republic was preceded by an admission agreement between the Czech government and the approval by the Czech parliament. (6/25)

FPL Plans Solar Power Facility at KSC (Source: Florida Today)
As the space shuttle sunsets, rows of citrus will give way to rows of solar panels at Kennedy Space Center. Florida Power & Light Co. reaffirmed Wednesday its plans to build a 10 megawatt solar power plant about 1 mile south of the space center’s visitor complex by early 2010. It’s part of a larger, $688 million plan for three solar plants in Florida that will tack another 31 cents per month on customers’ monthly energy bills. The solar plant at the space center eventually would be open for public tours and FPL officials hope to expand the plant to “at least twice as large.” (6/25)

Aerospace Brain Drain Contributes to Contract, Management Issues (Source: AIA)
Brain drain in U.S. aerospace and defense industries has contributed to management problems, cost overruns and delays on military contracts, experts say. The Pentagon and military contractors have been forced to compete with high tech companies for new employees, they note. "Ten to 20 years ago, many mechanical engineers went into a limited number of industrial sectors, automotive and aerospace -- including defense -- among the largest," noted a Purdue official. Today, many graduates move into finance, management and medicine, according to recent surveys. A task force organized by the National Research Council is working to identify programs affected by faulty engineering management. (6/25)

Senate Committee Approves Legislation with Extra Shuttle Mission (Source: AIA)
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Tuesday approved legislation that would allow NASA to make an additional shuttle mission. A similar version of the bill passed in the House last week, but the White House has indicated that it may veto legislation authorizing an additional flight. (6/25)

Aerospace Needs New Wave of Recruits for Industry's Future (Source: AIA)
AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey underscores the need for a concerted effort on the part of the aerospace industry to address a looming workforce shortage. Insufficient numbers of college students are studying in engineering and related fields, and too few high school graduates are adequately prepared for aerospace-related degrees. Industry leaders are taking steps to address the issue, including such efforts as the AIA-sponsored Team America Rocketry Challenge. (6/25)