Fwd: Human Spaceflight News - January 30, 2013 and JSC Today

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From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: January 30, 2013 7:07:32 AM GMT-06:00
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: Human Spaceflight News - January 30, 2013 and JSC Today

 

 

 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

 

JSC TODAY HEADLINES

1.            Volunteers Needed for the NBA All-Star Jam Session

2.            Today: Intimate Partner Violence in the Workplace

3.            New JSC Operator Hours Starting Feb. 4

4.            Will You Have a Seat at the JSC NMA Luncheon on Feb. 5?

5.            All Hands With Ellen Ochoa and Steve Altemus on Feb. 6

6.            Hear the Felix Baumgartner/Stratos Story on Feb. 8

7.            How to Access Online Journal Articles, Conference Papers or E-Books

8.            Starport Spinning Workshop Series -- MS 150 Training Returns

9.            Cupid's Valentine Delivery Service at Starport

10.          Valentine's Cooking Class

11.          Starport's Spring Break Camp

12.          Latest International Space Station Research

13.          Final Orion Milestone All Hands Replay

14.          White Sands Test Facility: See the Space Station

________________________________________     QUOTE OF THE DAY

" Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. "

 

-- Tacitus

________________________________________

1.            Volunteers Needed for the NBA All-Star Jam Session

Volunteers are needed to staff JSC's exhibit at the NBA All-Star Jam Session from Feb. 13 to 17 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The event is described as "wall-to-wall basketball fun for all ages. Fans can shoot, slam, dribble and drive all day, and compete against their friends in skills challenges."

The JSC External Relations Office, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, will support an exhibit that highlights general NASA information and plans for ongoing space exploration while using a fun basketball-related theme for visitors. Your enthusiasm and expertise is needed to reach out to the 10,000 local-area family members and youth expected throughout the event.

Interested volunteers should send an email to: jsc-pao-events@mail.nasa.gov

Available shift times are:

o             Feb. 13 to 16 from 4 to 7 p.m.

o             Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

List your preferred date/time to participate. Training and transportation will be provided.

Robin Hart Prouse x32843

 

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2.            Today: Intimate Partner Violence in the Workplace

Today, Jan. 30, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Building 30 Auditorium, Pamela Paziotopoulos, a well-known speaker, will present on "Intimate Partner Violence in the Workplace." Workplace violence can manifest itself in a number of ways. Participate in a compelling discussion on intimate partner violence and stalking in the workplace. Learn what it is, how to identify it, what to do about it and, most importantly, what can be done to prevent it. Acquire essential concepts to equip you as you help those facing this critical issue.

Event Date: Today, Jan. 30  

Event Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium

Event Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2013   Event Start Time:10:30 AM   Event End Time:11:30 AM

Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium

 

Add to Calendar

 

Alan Mather x32912

 

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3.            New JSC Operator Hours Starting Feb. 4

As part of the center's efforts to reduce cost, effective Monday, Feb. 4, JSC's Information Resources Directorate will reduce the hours for the JSC Switchboard Operator Console (x30123). The JSC Switchboard Operator will now be available from 8 to 11 a.m. and from noon to 5 p.m. Previously, the operator hours were from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Any calls from the general public, external NASA centers or onsite personnel outside of these hours will receive the automated message alerting callers the switchboard is closed.

Please remember that there are various ways to get contact information for JSC/NASA personnel:

- http://phone.jsc.nasa.gov/cgi-isis/phone/phone.cgi

- https://people.nasa.gov

- The Apple/Android Mobile NASA Contacts App on the NASA App Store: https://apps.nasa.gov/applist

Should you need Security, they can be reached at x33333 for a JSC emergency, or x34658 for JSC non-emergency.

JSC IRD Outreach x32704 http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/default.aspx

 

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4.            Will You Have a Seat at the JSC NMA Luncheon on Feb. 5?

... Don't wait to find out --- RSVP NOW for the JSC National Management Association (NMA) chapter luncheon presentation on "The 10 Commandments  of Networking a Mixer" with guest speaker Bertrand N. McHenry.

McHenry, a self-described "ninja referral strategist," will teach us how to take the unstructured event, called a "mixer," and create structure for maximum effectiveness.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 5

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom

Cost for members: $0

Cost for non-members: $20

There are three great menu options to choose from:

o             Tortellini and Roasted Portobello in a Blush Sauce

o             Pastrami-Style Salmon

o             Turkey Scaloppine and Bruschetta Topping

Desserts: Italian cream cake or double chocolate mousse cake

Please RSVP here by NOON on Friday, Feb. 1, with your menu selection. For RSVP technical assistance, please contact Amy Kitchen via email or at x35569.

Catherine E. Williams x33317 http://www.jscnma.com/Events/

 

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5.            All Hands With Ellen Ochoa and Steve Altemus on Feb. 6

JSC Director Ellen Ochoa, together with JSC Deputy Director Steve Altemus, will hold an all-hands event for JSC team members from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Building 2S Teague Auditorium.

Those interested in sending questions for Ochoa and Altemus to address during the All Hands may send their inquiries directly to the JSC-Ask-the-Director email box in the Global Address Book.

If you are unable to attend, you are encouraged to view the broadcast live on RF Channel 2 or Omni Channel 45. JSC team members with wired computer network connections can view the event using onsite IPTV on General Channel 402 - "JSC Events."

The event will also be recorded for playback the following Thursday, Feb. 7, and Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

All JSC team members are invited to attend.

JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x35111

 

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6.            Hear the Felix Baumgartner/Stratos Story on Feb. 8

Supported by a team of experts, Felix Baumgartner ascended to 128,100 feet in a stratospheric balloon and made a freefall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His successful feat on Oct. 14, 2012, holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.

On Feb. 8, Andy Walshe, Stratos High Performance Director and Art Thompson, Stratos Technical Project Director, will share the Stratos project story with JSC. Don't miss it!

Courtesy of the JSC Strategic Opportunities and Partnership Development Office.

Event Date: Friday, February 8, 2013   Event Start Time:2:30 PM   Event End Time:4:00 PM

Event Location: Teague Auditorium

 

Add to Calendar

 

Peggy Wooten x30700

 

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7.            How to Access Online Journal Articles, Conference Papers or E-Books

Do you need access to an important online journal article, conference papers or e-books, but keep getting those annoying user login messages? Your JSC Library, also known as the Scientific & Technical Information Center (STIC), can get it for you via the Interlibrary Loan Services. Contact us or call 281-483-4245, fax 291-244-6624, or come by Building 30A, Room 1077, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

We're here to help you with all your information research needs. Please visit the website for the complete policy and procedures.

Access to this information is provided by JSC's Information Resources Directorate.

Scientific & Technical Information Center x34245 http://library.jsc.nasa.gov

 

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8.            Starport Spinning Workshop Series -- MS 150 Training Returns

Starport is thrilled to offer a special eight-week training workshop based on the "periodization" approach to training that will prepare you for the MS 150 or multi-day or long-distance event such as a triathlon or marathon. Each Spinning class and training ride will be taught by our phenomenal certified instructors.

Registration: Jan. 30 to Feb. 20

o             Register at the Gilruth information desk

Thursday Rides/Workshops (5:30 p.m.):

o             Feb. 21 | Feb. 28 | March 7 | March 21 | March 28 | April 4 | April 11 | April 18

Sunday Distance Rides (1.5 to 2.5 hours):

TBA

Full Package (All Thursday and Sunday Rides)

o             Price per person: Early $99 | $110 (after Feb. 13)

Just Sundays (Both Sunday Rides)

o             Price per person: $25

Individual Sundays

o             Price per person: $15

Take your skills to the next level and sign up today!

Steve Schade x30304 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/Fitness/RecreationClasses/RecreationProgram...

 

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9.            Cupid's Valentine Delivery Service at Starport

Buy your flowers and Valentine gifts at Starport and have your sweetie or co-worker's gift delivered right to his/her desk by Cupid's Delivery Service, or take one home to the kids. Tell someone you "Like Them a Latte" for just $10, or that they are "Purr-fect," "Unforgettable" or "Out of This World" with a novelty Valentine package for just $6. Add a massage, Inner Space membership or personal training session and make it memorable for your special someone. Stop by the Starport Gift Shops and place your order today. Click here for gift options.

Cyndi Kibby x35352 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/

 

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10.          Valentine's Cooking Class

Impress that someone special in your life and leave them speechless this Valentine's Day with a romantic dinner for two. We will show you how to create a gourmet dinner for two in just 60 minutes, including instructions on shopping, table setting, cooking and serving. Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 5:30 p.m. in at the Gilruth Center Discovery Room. Price is $45 per person. Reservations are required by Feb. 1, and seating is limited. Sign up now in the Building 3 café or contact Danial Hornbuckle at x30240. Price includes sampler meal, cookbook, ideas and a gift.

Danial Hornbuckle x30240

 

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11.          Starport's Spring Break Camp

Spring Break is just around the corner, and Starport will once again be offering a day camp for youth ages 6-12 for the school break. Register your child before spaces fill up! Camp runs March 11-15 from 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM. Fees are $140 per child for the entire week, or $40 per day for selected days. Visit http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/Youth/ for more information and for registration information. Register your child at the Gilruth Center during normal operating hours.

Shericka Phillips 35563 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/

 

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12.          Latest International Space Station Research

Have you been following along with the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM)?

RRM is an external International Space Station investigation designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel and repair satellites in space, especially satellites that were not designed to be serviced. A joint effort between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), RRM is the first in-orbit attempt to test robotic refueling and servicing techniques for spacecraft not built with in-orbit servicing in mind. It is expected to reduce risks and lay the foundation for future robotic servicing missions. RRM also marks the first use of Dextre beyond assembly and maintenance of the space station for technology research and development.

Learn more about RRM here.

Liz Warren x35548

 

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13.          Final Orion Milestone All Hands Replay

You have one last chance to see the replay of the Orion all-hands meeting that was held on Jan. 16. You can catch the final replay of the meeting tomorrow, Jan. 31, at 9 a.m. Tune in to watch NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) managers discuss the agreement to provide a service module for the Orion spacecraft's Exploration Mission-1 in 2017.

Employees can view the playback on RF Channel 2 or by using onsite IPTV on channels 202 and 402. If you are having problems viewing the video using these systems, contact the Information Resources Directorate Customer Support Center at x46367.

Brandi Dean x41403

 

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14.          White Sands Test Facility: See the Space Station

Viewers in the White Sands Test Facility area will be able to see the International Space Station this week.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 6:10 a.m. (Duration: 5 minutes)

Path: 17 degrees above WNW to 11 degrees above SSE

Maximum elevation: 42 degrees

Friday, Feb. 1, 5:22 a.m. (Duration: 3 minutes)

Path: 79 degrees above ESE to 10 degrees above SE

Maximum elevation: 79 degrees

The International Space Station Trajectory Operations Group provides updates via JSC Today for visible station passes at least two minutes in duration and 25 degrees in elevation. Other opportunities, including those with shorter durations and lower elevations or from other ground locations, are available at the website below.

Joe Pascucci x31695 http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=U...

 

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________________________________________

JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles. To see an archive of previous JSC Today announcements, go to http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/news/jsctoday/archives.

 

 

 

 

NASA TV:

·         11:40 am Central (12:40 pm EST) – E34's Chris Hadfield with the Governor General of Canada and primary school students in Ottawa

·         5:15 pm Central (6:15 EST) – TDRS-K launch coverage (liftoff at 7:48 CST / 8:48 EST)

 

Human Spaceflight News

Wednesday – January 30, 2013

 

HEADLINES AND LEADS

 

With thousands of Huntsville jobs at stake, public debate over killing Space Launch System continues

 

Lee Roop - Huntsville Times

 

A national newspaper op-ed article urging President Obama to kill the big new rocket NASA is developing in Huntsville has set off a new round of debate in space policy and political circles. The president is either planning -- perhaps as early as this year -- to kill the rocket known as the Space Launch System, too busy with bigger issues to bother with NASA now, or committed to the compromise he reached with the Senate to build the SLS, depending on which commenter you agree with.

 

Shelby says he will "fight hard" to keep Space Launch System funding

 

Lee Roop - Huntsville Times

 

Despite new attacks on the program, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said Tuesday he will "fight hard" to keep funding for NASA's Space Launch System being developed in Huntsville. Shelby also said the commercial space companies touted by critics of the NASA rocket are "funded in large measure by taxpayers through NASA," anyway.

 

Space Station Crew Uses Laser Channel to Beam Data

 

RIA Novosti

 

Russian astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have transferred scientific data using a laser communication channel for the first time in international practice, the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Tuesday. The information was transferred through the earth's atmosphere at a rate of 125 megabytes per second from an onboard laser terminal, the agency said.

 

Fruit flies headed to International Space Station

Will study effects of weightlessness on the heart

 

Lia Steakley - Scope (Stanford School of Medicine)

 

As previously reported on Scope, Stanford heart surgeon Peter Lee, MD, PhD, and collaborators at NASA Ames Research Center and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute recently won a research competition allowing them to study the effects of weightlessness on the hearts of fruit flies.

 

State scrambles to get NASA's OK for land to build launchpad

 

Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel

 

NASA is balking at plans by Space Florida to build a new commercial launchpad near Kennedy Space Center, and now state officials — in both Tallahassee and Washington -- are racing to persuade the space agency to change its mind. Why the hurry? SpaceX of California is expected — possibly this year — to choose where it wants to locate its next launchpad — a potential cash cow for whatever state lands the facility.

 

Mars Colony Project Inks First Investors

 

Mike Wall - Space.com

 

A nonprofit organization that aims to land four astronauts on Mars in 2023 has attracted its first investors for the ambitious $6 billion effort. The Netherlands-based Mars One has secured investments that will help fund conceptual design studies and its astronaut selection program, both of which are slated to kick off soon, officials announced Tuesday.

 

Countdown for space tourism ignites at Spaceport America, Las Cruces

 

Lark Gould - Washington Times

 

What we know about sending tourists to space is this: Travel to the stratosphere, and possibly beyond, is closer than you think in an otherwise unremarkable spot outside Las Cruces, New Mexico. That's where Spaceport America is digging in – and building out – in an all in effort to launch commercial flights into space. The tick tock is loud and clear toward a 2014 launch date when Virgin Galactic is set to send its first six-passenger space travel initiative into a suborbital wonderland of light and dark where the curve of the earth illuminates the vast nothingness of the great beyond.

 

10 Things To Reflect On About Space Shuttle Columbia 10 Years Later

 

Dan Cohen - Forbes (guest column)

 

(Cohen directed "Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope," which airs at 8 pm Central - 9 EST - Thursday on PBS)

 

On the morning of February 1, 2003 emergency centers in the southern United States began receiving calls about debris falling from the sky. The debris field stretched for hundreds of miles, covering a path from Louisiana to Texas. Within hours it would be revealed that the explosion was not the result of a jet airplane or terrorist attack, as many initially feared. The nation watched on with heavy hearts as newscasters interrupted regularly scheduled programming to report the space shuttle Columbia had disintegrated upon reentry, claiming the lives of the crew on board. Although the seven astronauts aboard Columbia perished on that fateful day in 2003, a remarkable story of hope, friendship and enduring faith emerged in the wake of tragedy.

 

Too early to part with International Space Station

 

Voice of Russia (Opinion)

 

15 years ago, an agreement to create an International Space Station was signed. The participants of this project are Russia, Canada, the US, Japan and member countries of the European Space Agency. The project turned out to be even more large-scale than its authors initially supposed. Within these 15 years, over 200 cosmonauts from 15 countries have lived and worked on the station. Preparations before the international agreement over this station was signed lasted 5 years. Besides building the station itself and all the necessary equipment, a solid package of laws had to be worked out as a juridical base for international exploitation of the station. Sometimes, it was not very easy to find decisions that would suit all the participants of this project.

 

America Should Renew Its Spaceflight Goals

 

Jerry Ross - Aviation Week (Opinion)

 

(Ross is a former astronaut & author of Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA's Record-Setting Frequent Flyer)

 

Ten years have passed since Feb. 1, 2003, the day the space shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas, just minutes from its scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It's a moment that will remain vivid in my memory for the rest of my life. As chief of NASA's Vehicle Integration Test Office, I was on the runway that morning waiting to welcome the seven members of the crew—all my friends—home. Before the launch, I had flown with them from Houston to Florida and lived with them in the astronaut crew quarters at the Kennedy Space Center. The day before the launch, I sat in Columbia's flight deck and helped configure and test the communications systems. I was among the last to see the crew on launch day, and I was supposed to be among the first to greet them upon their return. Instead, I spent the next three months helping to lead the search for Columbia's debris in east Texas.

__________

 

COMPLETE STORIES

 

With thousands of Huntsville jobs at stake, public debate over killing Space Launch System continues

 

Lee Roop - Huntsville Times

 

A national newspaper op-ed article urging President Obama to kill the big new rocket NASA is developing in Huntsville has set off a new round of debate in space policy and political circles. The president is either planning -- perhaps as early as this year -- to kill the rocket known as the Space Launch System, too busy with bigger issues to bother with NASA now, or committed to the compromise he reached with the Senate to build the SLS, depending on which commenter you agree with.

 

The fuss started with a Jan. 27 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal urging the president to finish what he started when he proposed killing the Constellation program shortly after taking office in his first term. Constellation was an evolvable NASA rocket program that would have led to a heavy-lift rocket capable of carrying astronauts, their fuel and their supplies on missions to deep space destinations such as Mars. Worry about its costs and the president's preference for commercial rockets doomed Constellation, but not before the Senate forced the White House to compromise and fund both a big new NASA rocket and commercial space taxis to and from the International Space Station. Read more about that new commentary and how to access it here.

 

It wasn't long before well-known space writer Mark Whittington fired back with a rebuttal. It's title -- "Cancelling NASA's Space Launch System for commercial space a disastrous idea" -- left little doubt where Whittington stood. The headline is a reference to the thrust of the Journal piece, which is that Obama was right to start with and building America's next generation of rockets is best left to companies such as SpaceX.

 

The debate accelerated after the website spacepolitics.com posted about the Journal piece on Monday. That article has attracted nearly 100 comments so far, many of them by names familiar to those who follow the space program or space in general.

 

Whittington himself weighs in, as does Rick Boozer, who blogs on astronomy as Astro Maven; blogger Ferris Valyn; and George Washington University academic and blogger Stephen C. Smith among others.

 

Does this new flurry of commentary signify any real threat to the Space Launch System? It seems unlikely at this point, given the other difficult issues on Washington's plate and the powerful support for the rocket in the Senate -- support so powerful that some actually refer to it as the "Senate Launch System." But a new debate over an issue SLS backers hoped was settled in 2010 isn't good news as the new year starts, either.

 

Shelby says he will "fight hard" to keep Space Launch System funding

 

Lee Roop - Huntsville Times

 

Despite new attacks on the program, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said Tuesday he will "fight hard" to keep funding for NASA's Space Launch System being developed in Huntsville. Shelby also said the commercial space companies touted by critics of the NASA rocket are "funded in large measure by taxpayers through NASA," anyway.

 

Shelby was responding to questions about an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal that has restarted discussion in the space community about the value of the rocket program known as the Space Launch System. Authors of the piece, including a former congressman, say President Obama should kill the rocket now and let private companies develop America's next generation of space ships.

 

"In reality, the so-called commercial space industry is funded in large measure by taxpayers through NASA," Shelby said in a statement today. He also defended the work being done in Huntsville, saying city aerospace workers' "long history and sterling record in propulsion engineering and human spaceflight are unmatched."

 

Shelby said he will "continue to fight hard to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested wisely in SLS so that we maintain our nation's leadership role in human spaceflight." He will do that, Shelby said, "as the top Republican on the (Senate) Appropriations Committee."

 

Shelby also said he intends to become the top Republican again on the Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA. Both the subcommittee and the full Appropriations Committee will be chaired by Democrat Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland.

 

Space Station Crew Uses Laser Channel to Beam Data

 

RIA Novosti

 

Russian astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have transferred scientific data using a laser communication channel for the first time in international practice, the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Tuesday.

 

The information was transferred through the earth's atmosphere at a rate of 125 megabytes per second from an onboard laser terminal, the agency said.

 

The total of 400 megabytes of data included earth imagery and telemetric information.

 

The transfer operation was part of the Laser Communication System project to exchange data between the ISS and the ground station Arkhyz in the North Caucasus.

 

Flight engineers Oleg Novitsky, Yevgeny Tarelkin and Roman Romanenko are Russian team members of ISS Expedition 34. NASA astronaut Kevin Ford is the commander, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield and NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn are also flight engineers.

 

Fruit flies headed to International Space Station

Will study effects of weightlessness on the heart

 

Lia Steakley - Scope (Stanford School of Medicine)

 

As previously reported on Scope, Stanford heart surgeon Peter Lee, MD, PhD, and collaborators at NASA Ames Research Center and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute recently won a research competition allowing them to study the effects of weightlessness on the hearts of fruit flies.

 

Later this year, Lee and team members will send a cohort of fruit flies-turned-astronauts to the U.S. National Lab on the International Space Station in orbit roughly 240 miles above the Earth. The ultimate goal of the Space Florida-sponsored project is to further understand the effects of space travel on astronaut cardiovascular systems.

 

Today in Inside Stanford Medicine, my colleague describes how Lee's passion for both space and medicine compelled him to propose the project:

 

Lee was working in his cubicle at the Falk Building, in between heart/lung transplantation surgeries, surrounded by his space memorabilia — a photo of himself shaking hands with astronaut Neil Armstrong, a screensaver of the Space Shuttle Endeavour atop a 747 airliner — when he heard about the contest, and came up with the idea for the experiment.

 

"I was looking for something related to heart disease and heart function that could fit in the 10-by-10-by-10-centimeter cube that they provide for the experiment to sit in," Lee said.

 

He found researchers at NASA who had experience sending fruit fly experiments into space and, at Sanford-Burnham, others who had conducted heart experiments on fruit flies. Lee contacted both, and they bought in to the idea. Together they wrote up a proposal and won some room on the rocket for their fruit flies.

 

While Lee loves his earthbound work as a surgeon, he has supplemented his extensive education with skills that could prove handy if he traveled into space and said he would jump at the chance to accompany the fruit flies when they blast off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. "Oh my gosh, yes, I want to go with," he said flashing a big smile.

 

State scrambles to get NASA's OK for land to build launchpad

 

Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel

 

NASA is balking at plans by Space Florida to build a new commercial launchpad near Kennedy Space Center, and now state officials — in both Tallahassee and Washington -- are racing to persuade the space agency to change its mind.

 

Why the hurry?

 

SpaceX of California is expected — possibly this year — to choose where it wants to locate its next launchpad — a potential cash cow for whatever state lands the facility.

 

Texas already has an early edge, and if Florida doesn't show progress soon in securing the necessary land, then the state could lose out.

 

"The future of space in Florida will be decided in the next few months," said Dale Ketcham, director of the University of Central Florida's Spaceport Research and Technology Institute.

 

Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll and members of Space Florida, the state's aerospace-booster group, are scheduled to meet today in Tallahassee to plan their next step, and those close to the group said Space Florida has got only about four months to make a breakthough.

 

The proposed Florida site is the abandoned citrus town of Shiloh, which straddles the county border of Volusia and Brevard and sits at the northern boundary of Kennedy Space Center.

 

State officials want to convert 150 acres of that property into a spaceport with two launchpads far enough from KSC and Cape Canaveral that a company such as SpaceX could launch its rockets without having to schedule missions between ones flown by NASA and the Air Force.

 

But before Space Florida can do anything, it first must get the land from NASA.

 

Last year, Carroll sent NASA a note asking as much.

 

"Florida believes that the properties identified in this request are excess to the needs of the U.S. Government and such properties are not otherwise needed for public use," she wrote.

 

NASA, however, saw it differently.

 

"The property identified in your request has not been reported as excess. Furthermore, this property continues to serve NASA long-term mission requirements, as a buffer zone between NASA mission and local communities and as a potential site for future mission requirements," responded agency officials.

 

Since then, both NASA and Space Florida officials said that they are working on some sort of compromise, possibly even leasing the land.

 

Indeed, NASA recently released a statement that noted it has not "rejected" the state's proposal and was looking to find another path.

 

The situation has attracted enough notice that a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said the Florida Democrat, a one-time space-shuttle flier, has asked for a briefing on the topic — a bit of subtle pressure that could nudge the process along.

 

Looming over these negotiations, however, are long-standing concerns from environmentalists who fear another spaceport could harm the 15 or more threatened or endangered species in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, a 140,000-acre sanctuary that overlays KSC.

 

Their opposition in 2008 helped stop a similar proposal, and mitigating environmental impact could be critical in ensuring the project moves forward.

 

Meanwhile, other states such as Texas continue to court SpaceX, which made history last year by becoming the first commercial company to blast an unmanned spacecraft to the station and return it safely.

 

Though the company already has a pad at Cape Canaveral for NASA flights, it wants another for commercial customers.

 

SpaceX officials were coy, however, on how soon it would make a decision.

 

"We are considering multiple areas, including Florida, Texas, Georgia and Puerto Rico, for a future private launch facility, but we are in the early stages of that process," spokeswoman Emily Shanklin said.

 

Mars Colony Project Inks First Investors

 

Mike Wall - Space.com

 

A nonprofit organization that aims to land four astronauts on Mars in 2023 has attracted its first investors for the ambitious $6 billion effort.

 

The Netherlands-based Mars One has secured investments that will help fund conceptual design studies and its astronaut selection program, both of which are slated to kick off soon, officials announced Tuesday.

 

"Raising a few million [US dollars] in the coming months may seem insignificant in the shadow of the pending billions required, but we are taking it one step at a time," Kai Staats, director of business development for Mars One, said in a statement. "These first few bring tangible demonstration to nearly two years in planning. For us, committed funds in this phase of development are an important indicator we are moving in the right direction."

 

Mars One plans to stage a global reality-TV event around the one-way mission, with cameras following every step of the way from astronaut selection to the settlers' first years on the Red Planet. The organization thinks revenues from broadcasting rights and sponsorships will cover most of the costs.

 

The new investments should help get the ball rolling. Mars One officials say they will use the money to fund conceptual design studies — engineering bids from private spaceflight companies that aim to provide the spaceships, habitat modules and other major components of the Mars colony — beginning in the first half of this year.

 

Some of the money will also finance Mars One's televised astronaut selection process, which officials have said will also likely launch sometime this year.

 

Earlier this month, Mars One released its astronaut requirements. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, in good mental and physical health and willing to undergo a training program that will last about eight years.

 

Managing the selection process could prove challenging, as Mars One anticipates receiving hundreds of thousands of applications from people interested in becoming Mars colonists.

 

Mars One plans to launch a series of robotic missions between 2016 and 2020 that will build an outpost on the Red Planet. The first four astronauts will arrive in 2023, and more will touch down every two years after that. There are no plans to return these interplanetary pioneers to Earth.

 

The newly announced investments were secured by the Interplanetary Media Group, a daughter company of Mars One that manages the media and intellectual property associated with the Red Planet colonization mission, officials said.

 

Countdown for space tourism ignites at Spaceport America, Las Cruces

 

Lark Gould - Washington Times

 

What we know about sending tourists to space is this:

 

Travel to the stratosphere, and possibly beyond, is closer than you think in an otherwise unremarkable spot outside Las Cruces, New Mexico. That's where Spaceport America is digging in – and building out – in an all in effort to launch commercial flights into space.

 

The tick tock is loud and clear toward a 2014 launch date when Virgin Galactic is set to send its first six-passenger space travel initiative into a suborbital wonderland of light and dark where the curve of the earth illuminates the vast nothingness of the great beyond.

 

While the prospects for space tourism are not new – indeed you can count nearly a half dozen aerospace companies flirting with some element of space travel for the "common man"– what is new is what is destined to be ground zero for managing this new form of travel and tourism: and that would be Spaceport America.

 

According to recent articles in Travel-Intel, with a cost of $209 billion the politicos of New Mexico are putting out the welcome sign to space travel companies by building this 18,000-acre space park in the desert. And Spaceport America is inviting in the bells and whistles that will make it a must-stop hub on the way somewhere, if not the destination itself.

 

Disney, as well as other cutting edge creativity companies, have been invited to bring in their imagineers to design the visitors center of all visitors centers. So far, it is to be a 22,000 square foot facility that will be both educational and entertaining and serve as the jump off spot for tours of the grounds.

 

Currently, there is not much there but dirt, asphalt and a scattering of empty buildings. The spot is around 50 miles (and a good 90-minute drive at this time, but a new, direct road is in progress that will shave 40 minutes) from Las Cruces, New Mexico at a remote spot just outside Truth or Consequences (blink and you'll miss it), New Mexico, and perhaps 10 miles from White Sands Missile Range on the back side.

 

The sky there is protected from any flights except space launches – no Southwest Airlines contrails bisecting the aerial views. And the road there – two lane from Truth or Consequences for about 20 miles with nothing around – keeps the location somewhat shielded and secret. Truth or Consequences remains a small town of around 3,000 residents with a cluster of mineral springs near an early-20th century dam.

 

A few motels welcome the drive-bys but, to date, except for occasional murmurs from Richard Branson about building a Virgin-branded luxury property somewhere in the vicinity, there is little in the hospitality category that will be able to accommodate the expected 200,000 visitors annually who will be making the trip to the visitor center.

 

And there is very little around to accommodate the 546 elite class CEOs and celebs that have already paid their $200,000 per seat – and the 85,000 wait-listers itching to do the same. (Names like Katy Perry, Ashton Kutcher, Brangelina, Princess Beatrice of York and Michael Dell have been bandied about on the shortlist so far).

 

However, that is, possibly, some of the area's true charm.

 

"We're looking at an expected 200,000 to 500,000 a year passing through Las Cruces to get to the Spaceport just to visit the Visitor Center," says Philip San Filippo, Executive Director of Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau. "There is not a lot to do out there in the desert so we are preparing to show them what Las Cruces can offer."(see Las Cruces article in this publication).

 

The Spaceport will not be a place where executives and superstars can park their private Gulfstreams, head into the cockpit and take off for a meeting on Mars. The closest private airport is Las Cruces and the closest commercial airport is El Paso (ELP), TX, about an hour's drive east of Las Cruces. Las Cruces, itself, is a sleepy town with mostly Holiday Inns and express-style hotels and a dotting of taco restos and cafes.

 

Still, it's a quirky place with plenty to see and do to make three days go by quickly and enjoyably.

 

Three days? For those who are taking the flight, three days is the number of days needed for training and mission completion. For those who are not taking off but attached to someone who is, three days – or maybe two days – is what there will be to pass with distractions other than watching a space craft with a loved one in it take off to some point 70,000 feet above the earth for a few hours on the third day.

 

"There is really not a lot to watch so, as entertaining as we make it for those accompanying a flight passenger, all they are really going to see is the mother ship taking off horizontally like an airplane taking the smaller ship upwards at a steep trajectory. Eventually, that spacecraft disengages, floats around above the atmosphere for awhile and then comes back to earth. There will be lounges and lots of screens showing what is going on inside and around the aircraft – trust me this will be the most hooked in operation out there. And we will create a "Nasa" like operations effect to impress when, in fact, given the technology today these flights practically run off an iPhone," says Aaron Prescott a space engineer and business operations manager for Spaceport America.

 

At the moment, there is little around except what will be the operations center. For now it is an empty building with a huge curved window in the shape of an eye overlooking a two-mile long tarmac that is 200 feet across and three feet thick. The building blends in with the landscape with the look of a sloping sandy berm – nearly indistinguishable from the land.

 

As we drive out onto this area, our vehicles are inspected manually and painstakingly for any debris that might dislodge, find its way to the runway and cause havoc with a rocket aircraft.

 

At an imperceptible spot some five miles away another aerospace company called Armadillo is busy experimenting with a similar concept in space tourism, although using a straight up and down Buck Rogers-style rocket model.

 

In fact, Prescott says, there's room there for 17 aerospace companies to rent space within this expansive infrastructure and create their own test pads and rocket ports in a kind of aerospace pad business park – all prescient preparations for the big boom in space travel to come.

 

Several states are working to attract business from a burgeoning list of space companies who see a future in point-to-point commercial space travel. Prescott notes there are nine such places in progress or planned in the US so far.

 

Tours of Imagination

 

With as little as there is to actually see at Spaceport America, there is plenty of demand for tours of the area mixed in with futuristic tales and stops at scenic fun spots around Truth or Consequences. These three-hour tours are available through Follow the Sun Tours, the only company allowed to work with Spaceport America. They launch half-day explorations Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Truth or Consequences for $29-$59 per person, depending on age.

 

Timelines to Space

 

The earth is expected moving on the proposed Visitors Center early this year for an end of the year or early 2014 completion. The Disneyesque facility will be selling tickets for tours of the launch grounds and will also be providing incentives for people to reserve and purchase in advance. It will likely not be selling seats on any flights, though.

 

Much is still in question regarding logistics: whether roadtrippers will be allowed to drive themselves to the Visitors Center or whether the experience will start in Truth or Consequences with shuttles to the site. Not all has been set in stone.

 

"It's easy to get lost out here," says Prescott.

 

Tourism officials in Las Cruces hope the Spaceport will result in an upgrading of available hospitality choices there and start a wave of outside interest in the town.

 

"When you are talking 200,000 to 500,000 people a year, coming through this town that is a lot of tourism and we want to make sure those visitors spend some time in this city," says San Filippo.

 

And Las Cruces may be just small enough, cute enough and quirky enough to pull it off.

 

10 Things To Reflect On About Space Shuttle Columbia 10 Years Later

 

Dan Cohen - Forbes (guest column)

 

(Cohen directed "Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope," which airs at 8 pm Central - 9 EST - Thursday on PBS)

 

On the morning of February 1, 2003 emergency centers in the southern United States began receiving calls about debris falling from the sky. The debris field stretched for hundreds of miles, covering a path from Louisiana to Texas. Within hours it would be revealed that the explosion was not the result of a jet airplane or terrorist attack, as many initially feared. The nation watched on with heavy hearts as newscasters interrupted regularly scheduled programming to report the space shuttle Columbia had disintegrated upon reentry, claiming the lives of the crew on board.

 

As the 10-year anniversary of the disaster draws near, the documentary Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope reveals the remarkable story of Colonel Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut to embark on a mission to explore space. Ramon realized the significance of "being the first" and his journey of self-discovery became a mission to tell the world a powerful story about the resiliency of the human spirit.

 

Although the seven astronauts aboard Columbia perished on that fateful day in 2003, a remarkable story of hope, friendship and enduring faith emerged in the wake of tragedy.

 

1. Columbia, much like Challenger and Apollo 1, met an unimaginable fate. While we could define these missions by their tragic endings, I prefer to reflect on the common thread that weaves their stories together. Each of these crews embarked on a journey into space to learn more about who we are and what we bring to each other as human beings. Those are powerful lessons that live on far beyond even the greatest tragedy.

 

2. Arguably one of the most diverse shuttle crews to ever explore space, Columbia's team represented a range of religious backgrounds including Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism, Hinduism and Unitarian Universalist. The crew was comprised of five men and two women; an Israeli, an African American and an American woman born in India. They were seven individuals united by a common goal to further space exploration, in turn helping us all better understand who we are by learning more about where we come from.

 

3. One of the missions of the film is to help a little boy trapped in the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp uphold the promise he made to a dying rabbi to always tell the world what happened in Bergen-Belsen. In an unlikely twist of fate, that same young boy and concentration camp survivor, Joachim "Yoya" Joseph, went on to become one of Israel's lead scientists for the Columbia's mission. Ilan Ramon, felt Yoya's promise deep within his heart, and he carried that with him into space.

 

4. For Ilan Ramon, there was a deeply personal mission within the mission. This film tells the untold story of Ramon's journey to show the world who he was, the son and grandson of Holocaust survivors. In doing so, Ilan demonstrated to the world that it is possible for anyone to rise from the depths of hell to the heights of space, inspiring a nation in the process.

 

5. Faith has the power to transcend cultures and bridge gaps, bringing people from different walks of life closer together. Columbia Commander Rick Husband was a devout Christian; his faith was everything to him. In my conversations with Yoya, he shared the story of Ilan going to speak with Rick Husband about his desire to keep kosher and observe the rituals of the Sabbath during the mission. After their conversation, Yoya said, Rick Husband visited a rabbi in Houston to learn more about the rituals so he could follow along and support Ilan throughout their time together in space.

 

6. It is important to know who you are and where you're from. As you'll see in the film, there is a breathtaking moment when the miniature Torah hovers in space as Ilan shares its story with the world live from the flight deck of Columbia. In that moment, Rick Husband looks over at Ilan and the look of pride on his face says it all.

 

7. In the documentary, Evelyn Husband, wife of Columbia Commander Rick Husband, talks about one of the crew's legacies as striving and reaching for a better day. As a space enthusiast and a filmmaker, I believe that continues to be a big part of what space exploration is all about: potential, possibility and progress.

 

8. In order to understand the present and prepare for the future, we must first understand our past. This is one of the missions of the film; to help people understand the role the past plays in shaping the present, and to inspire continued exploration of where we have been as we move forward into the future.

 

9. On the anniversary of the Columbia, I try to imagine us not exploring space and it's almost unthinkable to me. Whether we're talking about passengers traveling by plane or sending satellites out into the universe to explore space, the deeper we go, the more we learn about ourselves as human beings. What message would it send to future generations if we stopped now?

 

10. There are many people who think that just because the shuttle program has ended that space exploration has come to a halt, but just the opposite is true. Today astronauts from different backgrounds, countries and walks of life are working together aboard the International Space Station. At the same time, private companies are developing new spaceships that will one day empower new generations of astronauts from around the world to work together, reaching deeper into space than ever before. On the 10th anniversary of the Columbia accident, it is our responsibility to honor the legacy of the Columbia crew by continuing the journey.

 

Too early to part with International Space Station

 

Voice of Russia (Opinion)

 

15 years ago, an agreement to create an International Space Station was signed. The participants of this project are Russia, Canada, the US, Japan and member countries of the European Space Agency. The project turned out to be even more large-scale than its authors initially supposed. Within these 15 years, over 200 cosmonauts from 15 countries have lived and worked on the station.

 

Preparations before the international agreement over this station was signed lasted 5 years. Besides building the station itself and all the necessary equipment, a solid package of laws had to be worked out as a juridical base for international exploitation of the station. Sometimes, it was not very easy to find decisions that would suit all the participants of this project.

 

Finally, the agreement was signed on January 29, 1998 in Washington. The same year, the Russian module of the orbital station, and then, the US one were launched to the orbit. Two years later, Russian shuttle "Soyuz" delivered the first long-term space expedition to the orbit.

 

Initially, it was planned to use the orbital station for 15 years, but it has turned out that it could be used for much longer. At present, the space agencies of several countries believe that the station may be used at least till 2020.

 

The head of Russian programs at the International Space Station Alexey Krasnov says:

 

"This station may be called a unique scientific laboratory on the orbit. One of the unique things about it is that it unites many of the best and newest achievements of science and engineering from all over the world in one place. I believe that the station is quite capable of being exploited till 2020 – if only something extraordinary, like a collision with a meteorite, does not happen. What will happen after 2020? Well, let's live up to that time and see. I believe that the station is durable enough to serve for some time after 2020 as well. I think that the station, most likely, will work to the full capacity until we build a new one, which, I suppose, will be not earlier than in 2022 or 2023."

 

At present, the International Space Station weighs more than 400 tons. Its orbit is in about 340 kms from the Earth, and the station makes 16 rotations around the Earth in 24 hours.

 

New modules are still being added to the station. It is expected that in its final mode, the station will consist of 14 modules, the total area of which will be several thousand cubic meters.

 

In total, this large-scale and long-term project of a space station costs about $ 157 bln.

 

"This sum may sound gigantic, but I believe that the results are quite worth these expenditures," Director General of the Russian company "JC Group" Evgeny Chernikov says. "Within the years of the station's work, many scientific experiments have been held on its board, and many important discoveries were made as a result of these experiments."

 

"A year and a half ago, an experimental imitation of a flight to Mars was held in the Russian Institute of Medical and Biological Problems. Now, there are plans to try this mock flight to Mars again, this time on the International Space Station, which, of course, would be a more close imitation of the conditions on a spaceship flying from the Earth to another planet."

 

There are also plans for a new crew to spend as long as one year on the orbital station. It is planned that this mission will start in the spring of 2015.

 

At present, two cosmonauts – Russian Mikhail Kornienko and US citizen Scott Kelly – are preparing for this space mission. Scientists hope that their experience may turn out to be helpful in the future, when people will fly to the Moon, Mars and asteroids.

 

America Should Renew Its Spaceflight Goals

 

Jerry Ross - Aviation Week (Opinion)

 

(Ross is a former astronaut & author of Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA's Record-Setting Frequent Flyer)

 

Ten years have passed since Feb. 1, 2003, the day the space shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas, just minutes from its scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It's a moment that will remain vivid in my memory for the rest of my life.

 

As chief of NASA's Vehicle Integration Test Office, I was on the runway that morning waiting to welcome the seven members of the crew—all my friends—home. Before the launch, I had flown with them from Houston to Florida and lived with them in the astronaut crew quarters at the Kennedy Space Center. The day before the launch, I sat in Columbia's flight deck and helped configure and test the communications systems. I was among the last to see the crew on launch day, and I was supposed to be among the first to greet them upon their return. Instead, I spent the next three months helping to lead the search for Columbia's debris in east Texas.

 

All seven of the Columbia crewmembers were outstanding individuals who deeply believed in the importance of what they were doing. Their 16-day flight was a multi-disciplinary microgravity and Earth science research mission with a multitude of international scientific investigations. The flight had been very productive, and much of the data already had been transmitted to the ground.

 

We should honor these heroes, as well as the crewmembers of Apollo 1 and Challenger, by rededicating ourselves and our nation to advancing the exploration of space. In its first 55 years, NASA has explored the universe with numerous unmanned probes and telescopes. NASA has sent humans to the Moon, launched a space vehicle that could return to Earth to be launched again, and assembled the International Space Station where crews continue to conduct valuable scientific and engineering investigations. NASA programs have stimulated the U.S. economy and driven a revolution in communications technologies that are now part of our everyday lives.

 

However, a recent study sponsored by NASA and conducted by the National Research Council (NRC)found that, in spite of enormous successes, such as the Mars Opportunity rover, the U.S. space program is in danger of losing its international leadership position. Current NASA goals, such as launching astronauts to an asteroid by 2025, are not capturing the support or the imagination of the nation, the NRC panel concluded.

 

"The lack of national consensus on NASA's most publicly visible human spaceflight goal, along with budget uncertainty, has undermined the agency's ability to guide program planning and allocate funding," said Albert Carnesale, chancellor emeritus and professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, who chaired the NRC committee.

 

This is a precarious moment for the U.S.'s future. But it is not too late to change course and redirect our space agency to even greater excellence and accomplishments in the 21st century.

 

Our race into space took a giant leap forward on May 25, 1961, when President John F. Kennedy, before a joint session of Congress, asked the nation to commit itself to the goal of landing a man on the Moon. "I believe we should go to the Moon," he said. "But I think every citizen of this country, as well as the members of the Congress, should consider the matter carefully . . . because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful.

 

"This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific and technical manpower, material and facilities," Kennedy said. "It means a degree of dedication, organization and discipline which have not always characterized our research and development efforts. . . . In a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the Moon . . . it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there."

 

At this crucial juncture, we should remember Kennedy's words. The path to any success is filled with hard work, burdens and challenges. We chose to go to the Moon to realize the potentials and possibilities that are within us. America should once again reach a consensus on and make a national commitment to U.S. human space exploration—a future that will embody the can-do spirit of the American people. I believe this nation must commit itself to achieving the goals of returning humans to the Moon and to sending them on to Mars.

 

It is time for America not to withdraw within itself, but to dream big dreams again. It is time for Americans to unite in accomplishing big goals again and reap the benefits in our educational systems, technical advancement and the economy that were realized when we first journeyed to the Moon.

 

END