From VCStar.com: Program gears up to test space vehicles
HILO, Hawaii (AP) - A program to test space vehicles on the Big
Island is getting an infusion of millions of new investment dollars.
The state is putting $2.34 million into the Pacific International
Space Center for Exploration Systems to help the program prepare for
missions to Mars or the moon, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported
Tuesday (http://is.gd/T889A7 ).
Rob Kelso, the new director of the program, known as PISCES, said
long-term plans call for a high-tech park in Hawaii for research into
technologies related to space travel and colonization.
One project for the near-term is developing a concrete-like building
material that can be used in space and on Earth. Kelso said there also
will be continued testing and research of robotic systems being designed
for use on the moon or Mars.
Some of the equipment on the Mars rover Curiosity was tested on Mauna
Kea in 2008 because that terrain is so similar to the basaltic makeup
of Mars, said Kelso, who is a former NASA space shuttle flight director
at Johnson Space Center.
He joined other researchers and space enthusiasts at the annual
PISCES conference in Waikoloa this week for discussions and
demonstrations of robotic equipment designed to explore challenging
space environments.
Another avenue for research would be to develop new ways to extract
resources, including oxygen and water, from the terrain on Mars, which
has a chemical composition strikingly similar to portions of the Hawaii
island landscape.
The PISCES project was founded in 2007, and this year was shifted
from the University of Hawaii at Hilo into the state Department of
Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Kelso said the state is looking for a site for a new research
facility that initially would be home to PISCES and might one day become
an "aerospace enterprise zone" based in the Hilo area.
"Our goal is to become the preferred provider for space agencies and
commercial space businesses around the world that are developing
technologies to help enable and sustain planetary surface exploration,"
Kelso told PISCES conference attendees.
In the meantime, the program plans to rent temporary office space in Hilo, Kelso said.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Mars a major focus of space program
From News Leader: Mars a major focus of space program
Decades ago, men looked up at Mars and could only wonder what was there. The planet was often seen as the home of little green men who invaded Earth in the movies.
Ever since the first photos of Mars were taken in 1965, NASA scientists have learned quite a bit about the Red Planet. They have learned that Mars is a cold, rocky wasteland that was once covered with active volcanoes and pounded by meteors.
The primary focus on Mars is the possible presence of liquid water, either in the past or trapped in the subsurface. That is because where there is water, there is always the possibility of microscopic life.
Evidence of water on Mars comes from polar cap ice, features that look like dry river beds, and rocks that appear as if they could only have been formed with water present.
NASA exploration of Mars began when Mariner flew past the planet in 1965, taking close-up photos. Viking I became the first spacecraft to touch down on the planet, in 1976, and return photos of the surface.
There was Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Pathfinder rover, Mars Odyssey, Phoenix, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Mars Express and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, all contributing to a collective knowledge about the planet. Many of these missions are still operating, continuing to sending information back to NASA.
Not every mission was a success, however. Mars Observer, Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 are examples of Mars programs that were lost or failed to operate properly.
Through the six-wheeled, car-sized rover Curiosity, scientists continue to make discoveries on the Martian surface. Curiosity was launched Nov. 26, 2011, and landed on the planet on Aug. 6. The rover drives slowly across the surface of the planet, scooping up samples of soil. An on-board laboratory studies the chemical composition of soils and rock and can search for forms of carbon, which are considered the chemical building blocks of life.
Decades ago, men looked up at Mars and could only wonder what was there. The planet was often seen as the home of little green men who invaded Earth in the movies.
Ever since the first photos of Mars were taken in 1965, NASA scientists have learned quite a bit about the Red Planet. They have learned that Mars is a cold, rocky wasteland that was once covered with active volcanoes and pounded by meteors.
The primary focus on Mars is the possible presence of liquid water, either in the past or trapped in the subsurface. That is because where there is water, there is always the possibility of microscopic life.
Evidence of water on Mars comes from polar cap ice, features that look like dry river beds, and rocks that appear as if they could only have been formed with water present.
NASA exploration of Mars began when Mariner flew past the planet in 1965, taking close-up photos. Viking I became the first spacecraft to touch down on the planet, in 1976, and return photos of the surface.
There was Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Pathfinder rover, Mars Odyssey, Phoenix, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Mars Express and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, all contributing to a collective knowledge about the planet. Many of these missions are still operating, continuing to sending information back to NASA.
Not every mission was a success, however. Mars Observer, Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 are examples of Mars programs that were lost or failed to operate properly.
Curiosity
Mars Science Laboratory, with its rover Curiosity, is the most recent mission to Mars. Its mission is extremely ambitious: to find out whether Mars ever had an environment that would have allowed it to support life.Through the six-wheeled, car-sized rover Curiosity, scientists continue to make discoveries on the Martian surface. Curiosity was launched Nov. 26, 2011, and landed on the planet on Aug. 6. The rover drives slowly across the surface of the planet, scooping up samples of soil. An on-board laboratory studies the chemical composition of soils and rock and can search for forms of carbon, which are considered the chemical building blocks of life.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Budget cuts cripple space exploration
From Northwest Missourian: Budget cuts cripple space exploration
On Oct. 14, Felix Baumgartner captivated the minds and
imaginations of millions of Americans with his world record-setting
space jump from over 20 miles above the surface of the Earth.
Interestingly enough, just two weeks later the first commercial cargo flight into space was pulled off by the California-based company SpaceX. Both of these monumental achievements of science have one thing in common: the technology used in these missions was developed by NASA. However, as of late, this once-great administration has lost its luster, primarily due to the severe budget cuts it has endured.
President Obama’s proposed fiscal budget for 2013
calls for $309 million in cuts to the former leader in the space race of
the ‘60s and ‘70s. That is a 20 percent slash of funds to NASA that
would have gone to future Mars exploration and other missions.
That is somber news for anyone who grew up in the “Space Age” just a few decades ago. This country used to lead the way in discovering the infinite frontier of space, eager to learn more about what else is out there.
After the historic moon landing in 1969, America wondered how long would it be before we reached Mars and beyond. Unfortunately, 40 years later, we haven’t moved far from just dreaming.
No one has even been to the moon, much less Mars, since the last Apollo mission returned home in 1972. Sure, we’ve sent a few probes and put up some telescopes since then, but the drive to reach other worlds and the focus on space has long been dead.
Why is this happening? What happened to the “America of Tomorrow” and our dreams of moon bases? Well, in short, American politics got in the way.
The current allowance for NASA is .5 percent of the national budget, compared to the 4 percent it received in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Many argue that NASA is an unnecessary expenditure, and we can’t afford to keep it going at its current level, no matter how little percent of the budget it accounts for.
Let’s take a look at military spending in the United States and see if we can perhaps give NASA some of its money. Many politicians have proposed military spending to be around 4 percent of the GDP, not including war costs. Keep in mind it is estimated that the U.S. spent $12 million a day in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is ridiculous to say we can’t give even a small sliver of that wasteful spending to NASA. Yes, every mission may not be completely practical, but neither is buying another $600 million aircraft carrier.
I think it’s reasonable to ask our government to get rid of maybe one aircraft carrier or so to make room for NASA. If they do, the American people can start dreaming of the future again.
Interestingly enough, just two weeks later the first commercial cargo flight into space was pulled off by the California-based company SpaceX. Both of these monumental achievements of science have one thing in common: the technology used in these missions was developed by NASA. However, as of late, this once-great administration has lost its luster, primarily due to the severe budget cuts it has endured.
That is somber news for anyone who grew up in the “Space Age” just a few decades ago. This country used to lead the way in discovering the infinite frontier of space, eager to learn more about what else is out there.
After the historic moon landing in 1969, America wondered how long would it be before we reached Mars and beyond. Unfortunately, 40 years later, we haven’t moved far from just dreaming.
No one has even been to the moon, much less Mars, since the last Apollo mission returned home in 1972. Sure, we’ve sent a few probes and put up some telescopes since then, but the drive to reach other worlds and the focus on space has long been dead.
Why is this happening? What happened to the “America of Tomorrow” and our dreams of moon bases? Well, in short, American politics got in the way.
The current allowance for NASA is .5 percent of the national budget, compared to the 4 percent it received in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Many argue that NASA is an unnecessary expenditure, and we can’t afford to keep it going at its current level, no matter how little percent of the budget it accounts for.
Let’s take a look at military spending in the United States and see if we can perhaps give NASA some of its money. Many politicians have proposed military spending to be around 4 percent of the GDP, not including war costs. Keep in mind it is estimated that the U.S. spent $12 million a day in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is ridiculous to say we can’t give even a small sliver of that wasteful spending to NASA. Yes, every mission may not be completely practical, but neither is buying another $600 million aircraft carrier.
I think it’s reasonable to ask our government to get rid of maybe one aircraft carrier or so to make room for NASA. If they do, the American people can start dreaming of the future again.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Media Advisory: Space Conference Brings Astronauts, Space Industry CEOs to Buffalo
From University of Buffalo News Center: Media Advisory: Space Conference Brings Astronauts, Space Industry CEOs to Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- NASA's famed space shuttle program ended in 2011. Private companies are heading into orbit. What does the future hold for humanity in space? What new job opportunities are on the horizon for students?
To answer these questions, the University at Buffalo's chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is hosting the nation's largest student-run space conference.
The event, SpaceVision 2012, takes place from Nov. 8-11 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center at 153 Franklin St., Buffalo. A detailed agenda: http://spacevision.seds.org/agenda/.
UB students competed with SEDS chapters nationwide to host the conference, which serves as SEDS' annual U.S. convention. More than 250 people from across the country are expected to attend.
For a video of UB students from SEDS discussing their love for space and future career ambitions, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAvKPYMqnmg.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
WHAT: Astronaut Peggy Whitson, the 13th chief of NASA's Astronaut Office, will be available to speak to media. Whitson, who served as the International Space Station's first woman commander, will answer questions about her experience and the future of space exploration.
Students who are planning to pursue space-related careers will also be on hand to share their thoughts on the future of the space and aeronautics industry.
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Nov. 9. Following this media availability, Whitson will deliver a keynote address from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. describing her experiences and how the next generation will make a difference in the future of space exploration.
WHERE: The lobby of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
WHY: The conference theme is "Crossroads: How Our Generation Will Take Us to the Space Frontier." This topic recognizes changes underway in the space industry, including the retirement of NASA's space shuttle fleet in 2011 and the growing number of private companies exploring everything from mining asteroids to making space travel available to the public. Whitson and the students will be able to provide distinct perspectives about the future of space exploration. Whitson's biography: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/whitson.html.
CONTACT: Media who would like to attend should contact Charlotte Hsu in UB's Office of University Communications at 716-645-4655 or chsu22@buffalo.edu, or 510-388-1831 on-site. *
WHAT: UB alumnus Chris Scolese, director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, will deliver a keynote address, enabling attendees to hear from the head of one of the nation's most critical robotic research facilities. Scolese, who attended high school in Western New York, received a BS in electrical engineering from UB in 1978.
WHEN: 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10.
WHERE: Room 106 of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
CONTACT: Media who would like to attend should contact Charlotte Hsu in UB's Office of University Communications at 716-645-4655 or chsu22@buffalo.edu, or 510-388-1831 on-site. *
Besides Scolese, conference presenters include another UB graduate: Hussein Jirdeh, head of communications and public outreach for the Space Telescope Science Institute, who received a PhD in mechanical engineering from UB in 1988.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Landmark Moments in Private Space Exploration
This is a video which you can only see at Youtube via a computer
From the Wall Street Journal YouTube Channel: Landmark Moments in Private Space Exploration
The sad thing is it's been up for about a month and only has 592 views.
From the Wall Street Journal YouTube Channel: Landmark Moments in Private Space Exploration
The sad thing is it's been up for about a month and only has 592 views.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly makes the case for Obama's space program
From Examiner: Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly makes the case for Obama's space program
Mark Kelly, a former NASA
astronaut, the commander of the last flight of the space shuttle
Endeavour, and the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, offered
the case for continuing the course of President Obama’s space policy in a recent piece in Florida Today. Like Gaul, his defense of the Obama space program was divided into three parts.
First, he touted a $500 million plan to upgrade launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center. Part of this seems to be a play for Florida voters, as he states that this would have the effect of “--creating new jobs to upgrade Kennedy Space Center.” Kelly did not touch upon how these upgrades would facilitate NASA launch operations.
Second, Kelly touched upon the development of the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle and the heavy lift Space Launch System. He states that this new space craft would enable American astronauts to “--to go beyond Earth’s orbit to the moon, asteroids and beyond” and coincidentally create jobs at the Kennedy Space Center. He does not mention that the Obama administration initially resisted the early development of the Orion and the SLS, these being a congressional mandate.
Finally, Kelly touts the development of the Kennedy Space Center as a commercial space port, launching spacecraft such as the SpaceX Dragon, which recently delivered supplies to the International Space Station and returned cargo to Earth. Again, Kelly touts the jobs this would create in Florida.
The one major critique of Kelly’s defense of the president’s space program is that it seems to be narrowly focused on its capacity to create jobs in Florida, considered a swing state, albeit one that seems to be, as of this writing, firmly in Mitt Romney’s column. NASA is a national space agency whose benefits should be judged by how much the effect the entire United States and not just one state. As such, Kelly’s argument seems to be undermined as it is too nakedly political.
First, he touted a $500 million plan to upgrade launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center. Part of this seems to be a play for Florida voters, as he states that this would have the effect of “--creating new jobs to upgrade Kennedy Space Center.” Kelly did not touch upon how these upgrades would facilitate NASA launch operations.
Second, Kelly touched upon the development of the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle and the heavy lift Space Launch System. He states that this new space craft would enable American astronauts to “--to go beyond Earth’s orbit to the moon, asteroids and beyond” and coincidentally create jobs at the Kennedy Space Center. He does not mention that the Obama administration initially resisted the early development of the Orion and the SLS, these being a congressional mandate.
Finally, Kelly touts the development of the Kennedy Space Center as a commercial space port, launching spacecraft such as the SpaceX Dragon, which recently delivered supplies to the International Space Station and returned cargo to Earth. Again, Kelly touts the jobs this would create in Florida.
The one major critique of Kelly’s defense of the president’s space program is that it seems to be narrowly focused on its capacity to create jobs in Florida, considered a swing state, albeit one that seems to be, as of this writing, firmly in Mitt Romney’s column. NASA is a national space agency whose benefits should be judged by how much the effect the entire United States and not just one state. As such, Kelly’s argument seems to be undermined as it is too nakedly political.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Atlantis: The final space shuttle to enter retirement
From CNN: Atlantis: The final space shuttle to enter retirement
This is it. Until now there was still a faint heartbeat, a bit of a pulse. But Friday, space shuttle program veterans will have sent the final orbiter into retirement: Atlantis.
“We will look after her as long as we are allowed to do so,” says Stephanie Stilson, who spent a decade preparing the shuttle Discovery for each flight.
After the shuttle program ended, Stilson was put in charge of readying each vehicle for retirement. “You can definitely sense a feeling of wanting to hold onto Atlantis as long as we can,” she says.
Once those giant doors at the vehicle assembly building close behind Atlantis, there will be finality. “I’m not sure if that will really sink in until Atlantis is out of sight,” says Stilson.
Unlike Discovery and Endeavour, Atlantis is staying close to home and won’t get to make any final glamorous flyovers. The shuttle will be towed just about 10 miles on Friday to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, its new home. Along the way, there will a ceremony and a stop at the space center's Exploration Park, where people can get a close look.
Atlantis flew in space 33 times during its career. Its final landing was July 21, 2011, marking the end of the space shuttle program.
The shuttle program was certainly far more than just vehicles that flew in space. It wasn’t just about the astronauts who flew them or the phenomenal accomplishments and the horrific tragedies.
Sure, these machines seemed to take on anthropomorphic characteristics. But above all, the program was about the people who built the machines. It was about the people who cared for them and got them ready to fly.
Many of these are people are out of work. Some have found employment. Many are hoping to land jobs with the commercial space companies, but their workforces are much smaller.
United Space Alliance, which handled shuttle processing, has laid off about 5,800 employees, more than 4,000 of whom were at the Kennedy Space Center. Some were kept on to finish the work of prepping the orbiters for retirement; those 300 will be gone by January.
“The ones that received their notices for December were sad to see things come to an end, but they also seemed at peace with it,” says Stilson. “We have known this moment was coming for a very long time. The ones still here feel fortunate that they were allowed to stay this long,” she added.
A NASA employee, she wasn’t impacted directly by the layoffs, but she has been affected by friends lost and people hurting. For the next year, Stilson is going to spend some time at NASA headquarters in Washington working on future exploration, but it won’t be the same. “Once you’ve worked at KSC, it is hard to find anything comparable,” she says.
NASA is doing everything it can to talk about the future of space exploration and how grand it will be. For now, other than commercial company successes, not much is concrete. It really is about the memories.
“Looking back over my entire career,” says Stilson, “the one that stands out the most is the launch and landing of the 'return to flight' mission after the loss of Columbia.” She adds, “The team had been through so much, losing the crew and the vehicle, but they were adamant that we would fly again and prove that we could overcome the tragedy and continue to do great work in honor of the crew’s memory.”
Stilson wraps up saying, “I am so grateful to have been part of the shuttle program to the very end, and I doubt anything I do in the future will ever compare to the memories I have collected over the past 23 years.”
This is it. Until now there was still a faint heartbeat, a bit of a pulse. But Friday, space shuttle program veterans will have sent the final orbiter into retirement: Atlantis.
“We will look after her as long as we are allowed to do so,” says Stephanie Stilson, who spent a decade preparing the shuttle Discovery for each flight.
After the shuttle program ended, Stilson was put in charge of readying each vehicle for retirement. “You can definitely sense a feeling of wanting to hold onto Atlantis as long as we can,” she says.
Once those giant doors at the vehicle assembly building close behind Atlantis, there will be finality. “I’m not sure if that will really sink in until Atlantis is out of sight,” says Stilson.
Unlike Discovery and Endeavour, Atlantis is staying close to home and won’t get to make any final glamorous flyovers. The shuttle will be towed just about 10 miles on Friday to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, its new home. Along the way, there will a ceremony and a stop at the space center's Exploration Park, where people can get a close look.
Atlantis flew in space 33 times during its career. Its final landing was July 21, 2011, marking the end of the space shuttle program.
The shuttle program was certainly far more than just vehicles that flew in space. It wasn’t just about the astronauts who flew them or the phenomenal accomplishments and the horrific tragedies.
Sure, these machines seemed to take on anthropomorphic characteristics. But above all, the program was about the people who built the machines. It was about the people who cared for them and got them ready to fly.
Many of these are people are out of work. Some have found employment. Many are hoping to land jobs with the commercial space companies, but their workforces are much smaller.
United Space Alliance, which handled shuttle processing, has laid off about 5,800 employees, more than 4,000 of whom were at the Kennedy Space Center. Some were kept on to finish the work of prepping the orbiters for retirement; those 300 will be gone by January.
“The ones that received their notices for December were sad to see things come to an end, but they also seemed at peace with it,” says Stilson. “We have known this moment was coming for a very long time. The ones still here feel fortunate that they were allowed to stay this long,” she added.
A NASA employee, she wasn’t impacted directly by the layoffs, but she has been affected by friends lost and people hurting. For the next year, Stilson is going to spend some time at NASA headquarters in Washington working on future exploration, but it won’t be the same. “Once you’ve worked at KSC, it is hard to find anything comparable,” she says.
NASA is doing everything it can to talk about the future of space exploration and how grand it will be. For now, other than commercial company successes, not much is concrete. It really is about the memories.
“Looking back over my entire career,” says Stilson, “the one that stands out the most is the launch and landing of the 'return to flight' mission after the loss of Columbia.” She adds, “The team had been through so much, losing the crew and the vehicle, but they were adamant that we would fly again and prove that we could overcome the tragedy and continue to do great work in honor of the crew’s memory.”
Stilson wraps up saying, “I am so grateful to have been part of the shuttle program to the very end, and I doubt anything I do in the future will ever compare to the memories I have collected over the past 23 years.”
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