Fwd: Human Spaceflight News - June 17, 2013 and JSC Today

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From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: June 17, 2013 6:51:53 AM GMT-06:00
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: Human Spaceflight News - June 17, 2013 and JSC Today

 

 

 

Happy Monday everyone!  TGIFF   (Thank God Its Flex Friday J) week!

 

 

Monday, June 17, 2013

 

JSC TODAY HEADLINES

1.            Emerge! What are you emerging from?

2.            Don't Forget to Subscribe to the Director E-news

3.            Dave's JSC Space Riders Rocket Park Photo

4.            Save the Date! Bring Our Children to Work (BOCTW) Day 2013

5.            U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Presents STS-41G EVA - June 18

6.            Space Physiology Human Systems Academy Lecture

7.            Financial Wellness; Topic Specific Series - Start This Week

8.            WHERE DO I FIND JOB OPPORTUNITIES?

9.            Russian Language Training for Phase II and Phase III (Summer Quarter 2013)

10.          ISS Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) User Forum

11.          JSC Contractor Safety & Health Forum - June 18

12.          Train-The-Trainer for Crane Operations and Riggings Safety Lift Certifying

13.          Train-The-Trainer for Forklift Certifying Officials

14.          Train-The-Trainer Aerial Platform-Certifying Officials JSC-SLC-A

________________________________________     NASA FACT

" Detailed analysis and review have borne out researchers' initial interpretation of pebble-containing slabs that NASA's Mars rover Curiosity investigated last year: They are part of an ancient streambed."

________________________________________

1.            Emerge! What are you emerging from?

•         Emerge to advance Human Spaceflight

•         Emerge from silos

•         Emerge into leadership

•         Emerge with your unique perspective

•         Emerge from tradition

•         Emerge into the JSC community

This new organization wants to leverage your talent and innovative mindset to foster cross center collaboration, engage the community in JSC's mission, impact the on-boarding experience, and develop the leaders of tomorrow. Please join us on Tuesday, June 18th from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Building 30A Classroom 2090 to find out more about our mission and how YOU can get involved! Feel free to contact Elena Buhay if you have any questions.

Event Date: Tuesday, June 18, 2013   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM

Event Location: Bldg 30A/CR 2090

 

Add to Calendar

 

Elena C. Buhay 281-292-7976

 

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2.            Don't Forget to Subscribe to the Director E-news

So you got the e-news in your mailbox Thursday and you meant to sign up but it was late and you thought I will wait until Friday. Then it was Friday and Friday happens. Enough said there. Well, more than 500 had signed up for the JSC Director E-news by noon Friday. Hurray! Were you one of those? If not, don't fret. It seems we may have had Friday the 13th on Thursday the 13th  because there was a jinx in one of our links! So, here is the correct link for you. It's your opportunity to sign up and be in the know. And don't forget to share it with friends.

Visit http://go.nasa.gov/12qVNbk to subscribe to JSC Director News

Susan H. Anderson 38630 http://go.nasa.gov/12qVNbk

 

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3.            Dave's JSC Space Riders Rocket Park Photo

Today, Monday June 17, is the 22nd Annual International Ride to Work Day. As in previous years the JSC Space Riders will gather for the annual group photo at 11:30 a.m.. This year we have permission to take the photo at Rocket Park, you must be NASA badged. Permission has been granted provided we do not interrupt the SCH tram service - trams will be running in both directions.

We will park the bikes on the edge of the tram road so as not to be disruptive to the regular tram services.

Here is the schedule:

•         10:30 - The photographers will begin setting up equipment.

•         11:00 - Bikes will begin showing up for photos.

•         11:30 to 11:50 - The photos will be taken.

•         12:00 - Bikes will leave Rocket Park - ride to Fuddruckers for lunch

Event Date: Monday, June 17, 2013   Event Start Time:11:00 AM   Event End Time:12:00 PM

Event Location: JSC Rocket Park

 

Add to Calendar

 

Trent Mills 281/244-2338

 

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4.            Save the Date! Bring Our Children to Work (BOCTW) Day 2013

The External Relations Office is pleased to present Johnson Space Center's " Bring Our Children to Work (BOCTW) Day," on Thursday, August 15, at Space Center Houston. Guest speakers, breakout sessions, demonstration booths and hands-on activities will be scheduled throughout the day to further enhance your child(ren)'s experience! More information about the day's activities to come, so keep your eyes out for the registration and scheduled activities' announcement to come in the next couple of weeks. Registration begins Monday, July 15 and ends Friday, August 2.

Off-site contractor employees should contact their company representative for information regarding the company's participation in BOCTW.

Glenda Johnson 30377

 

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5.            U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Presents STS-41G EVA - June 18

David Leestma was EV-1 for the STS-41G extravehicular activity (EVA) with Kathy Sullivan (first American female spacewalker). They conducted an EVA to fully demonstrate the feasibility of refueling satellites from the Space Shuttle, and conducted the first contingency EVA task involving the Ku-band antenna. STS-41G was the fourth Space Shuttle mission to conduct an EVA, and Leestma will relate his experiences with training, the spacesuit, and EVA tasks that were conducted on October 11, 1984, during this mission.

When: June 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: 5S, Room 3102 (corner of Gamma Link/5th Street/third floor)

Registration: In SATERN, search catalog for "spacesuit" to bring up all Spacesuit Knowledge Capture offerings, and then select the offering for June 18.

For questions, contact a Spacesuit Knowledge Capture point of contact: Cinda Chullen (x38384) or Vladenka Oliva (281-461-5681).

Event Date: Tuesday, June 18, 2013   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM

Event Location: Building 5S, Room 3102

 

Add to Calendar

 

Vladenka Oliva 281-461-5681

 

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6.            Space Physiology Human Systems Academy Lecture

Please join us on June 19th, from 9:30 -11:30 a.m. for a lecture on Space Physiology and considerations for operations and research.

Space is limited so please register in SATERN at: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...

Cynthia Rando 281-244-1815 https://sashare.jsc.nasa.gov/hsa/default.aspx

 

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7.            Financial Wellness; Topic Specific Series - Start This Week

Financial Wellness offerings continue this week with our retirement and taxes series. Join us in a conference room near you!

FW106 & 206: Retire with Confidence

Understand retirement goals, income needs, sources of income in retirement, qualified vs. non-qualified money, savings rates, asset risk and allocations, and retirement "gotcha's" such as RMD.

FW107 & 207: Taxes: Dancing with Uncle Sam

Learn about taxes, past, present and future, lifetime tax stages, W-2 versus 1099 income, tax buckets, inflation, paying taxes on the seed versus the tree, a variety of tax advantaged investment types, RMD, Stretch IRA's, Estate Taxes and Life Insurance Trusts.

Webinar Series:

We apologize for the delay in the release of the webinars. Webinars will start in late June or early July. Webinar information will be posted soon!

Details are available at this link. (http://www.explorationwellness.com/Web/docs/June_Signup.pdf

Shelly Haralson 39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/

 

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8.            WHERE DO I FIND JOB OPPORTUNITIES?

Both internal Competitive Placement Plan (CPPs) and external JSC job announcements are posted on both the HR Portal and USAJOBS(www. usajobs.gov) website. Through the HR portal, civil servants can view summaries of all the agency jobs that are currently open at https://hr.nasa.gov/portal/server.pt/community/employees_home/239/job_opportu...

To help you navigate to JSC vacancies, use the filter drop down menu and select JSC HR. The "Jobs link", will direct you to the USAJOBS website for the complete announcement and the ability to apply on-line. If you have questions about any JSC job vacancies, please call your Human Resources Representative.

Lisa Pesak X30476

 

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9.            Russian Language Training for Phase II and Phase III (Summer Quarter 2013)

The JSC Language Education Center announces Phase Two and Phase Three Russian Language course offerings for the 2013 Summer Quarter (July 1- September 20). Registration for all courses is now conducted exclusively through NASA's SATERN system; all language training takes place at the JLEC, located in Building 12, suite 158. Continuing students, both JSC contractors and civil servants who have approval of their supervisor and training coordinator can enroll in the appropriate level group class through SATERN. Students new to the program and who have previous Russian language training, or students who are resuming their Russian language training after a break of two or more quarters should contact Dr. Anthony Vanchu (281-483-0644, anthony.j.vanchu@nasa.gov) to schedule a placement interview in order to determine the most appropriate level class for them to join. If you have any questions, please contact Natalia Rostova at 281/851-3745 or on global e-mail at natalia.rostova-1@nasa.gov

Natalia Rostova 281-851-3745

 

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10.          ISS Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) User Forum

The ISS EDMS team will hold the monthly EDMS General User Training Forum this Friday, June 21st at 9:30 a.m. at JSC Building 4S, Room 5315. If you use EDMS to locate station documents, join us to learn about basic navigation and searching. Bring your questions, concerns, suggestions and meet the EDMS Customer Support team. The agenda can be located at: https://iss-www.jsc.nasa.gov/ss/issapt/act/showAgenda.cfm?agen_id=44931

Event Date: Friday, June 21, 2013   Event Start Time:9:30 AM   Event End Time:10:30 AM

Event Location: JSC 4S/5315

 

Add to Calendar

 

LaNell Cobarruvias 281-244-1306 https://iss-www.jsc.nasa.gov/nwo/apps/edms/web/UserForums.shtml

 

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11.          JSC Contractor Safety & Health Forum - June 18

Our next JSC Contractor Safety and Health Forum will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18, in the Gilruth Alamo Ballroom 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The guest speakers include Ron Horton, Afterburner's EVP for Safety and Leadership Development. Ron's topic: "Leading Flawless Execution in a High Risk World" is a very dynamic presentation that will cover the Six Steps of Mission Planning using the Flawless Execution Model. Our second speaker, Tommy Northcutt P.E., from Aerospace Testing Alliance, located at the Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee will be discussing Arc Flash Hazards and the challenges encountered at his location. The third guest speaker will be Frank Brody, Chief, NWS Spaceflight Meteorology Group JSC who will be speaking on the 2013 Hurricane Season Forecast

This will be a very dynamic and informative meeting you will not want to miss.

Questions, contact Pat Farrell at 281-335-2012 or patricia.a.farrell@nasa.gov

Event Date: Monday, June 17, 2013   Event Start Time:9:00 AM   Event End Time:11:00 AM

Event Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom

 

Add to Calendar

 

Pat Farrell 281-335-2012

 

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12.          Train-The-Trainer for Crane Operations and Riggings Safety Lift Certifying

JSC-SLC-CORSR

In order to assist with the transition of responsibility for certifying lift operators to line organizations, the Safety Learning Center is offering training for lift-certifying officials. (4 Hour course)

Date/Time: June 19, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Location: Safety Learning Center, B20 Rooms 205/206

This class is a train-the-trainer class for those certifying operators for crane operation and rigging safety. JSC line organizations and contractors are now responsible for ensuring their lift equipment operators are certified in accordance with the NASA Standard for Lifting Devices and Equipment 8919.9. The operators will need to be certified by individuals who are qualified and approved as lift-certifying officials. Qualifications for both operators and lift-certifying officials are listed at: http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/safety/LIFT_Certification

Certifying officials need only to be approved for the lift types for which they certifying operators.

Register via SATERN Required:

https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...

Aundrail Hill 281-483-6369

 

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13.          Train-The-Trainer for Forklift Certifying Officials

In order to assist with the transition of responsibility for certifying lift operators to line organizations, the Safety Learning Center is offering training for Forklift certifying officials. (3 Hour Course)

Date/Time: June 20,  from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: Safety Learning Center, B20 Rooms 205/206

Register via SATERN Required:

https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...

This class is a train-the-trainer class for those certifying operators for forklifts. JSC line organizations and contractors are now responsible for ensuring their lift equipment operators are certified in accordance with the NASA Standard for Lifting Devices and Equipment 8919.9. The operators will need to be certified by individuals who are qualified and approved as lift-certifying officials. Qualifications for both operators and lift-certifying officials are listed at: http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/safety/LIFT_Certification

Certifying officials need only to be approved for the lift types for which they certifying operators.

Aundrail Hill 281-483-6369

 

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14.          Train-The-Trainer Aerial Platform-Certifying Officials JSC-SLC-A

In order to assist with the transition of responsibility for certifying lift operators to line organizations, the Safety Learning Center is offering training for Aerial Platform-certifying officials. 3 Hour Course

Date/Time: June 20, 2013 from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Location: Safety Learning Center, B20 Rooms 205/206

In this class is a train-the-trainer class for those certifying operators for aerial lifts. JSC line organizations and contractors are now responsible for ensuring their lift equipment operators are certified in accordance with the NASA Standard for Lifting Devices and Equipment 8919.9. The operators will need to be certified by individuals who are qualified and approved as lift-certifying officials.

Qualifications for both operators and lift-certifying officials are listed at: http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/safety/LIFT_Certification

Certifying officials need only to be approved for the lift types for which they certifying operators.

Register via SATERN Required:

https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...

Aundrail Hill 281-483-6369

 

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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.

 

 

 

Human Spaceflight News

Monday, June 17, 2013

 

HEADLINES AND LEADS

 

Draft NASA Authorization Bill Nixes Asteroid Retrieval Mission

 

Dan Leone - Space News

 

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee has begun drafting a NASA authorization bill that would hold the agency to a top line of about $16.87 billion, bar funding for a planned asteroid rendezvous mission, and divert money for Earth observation into robotic missions to other parts of the solar system, according to an official summary of the bill obtained by Space News. The bill also would authorize NASA to spend $700 million annually on the Commercial Crew Program — up from the $500 million Congress authorized in 2010 — and require the agency to report every 90 days on the effort.

 

NASA Authorization Bill says no to asteroid retrieval, yes to return to moon

 

Douglas Cobb - The Guardian

 

The draft version of the 2013 NASA Authorization Bill that will be voted upon by Congress says no to the asteroid retrieval mission that President Obama is backing, and yes to a manned return to the moon asap, according to a June 14, 2013 article in Space News. This indicates a clear change in the course that Congress wants NASA to follow, based upon a reassessment of the space organization's purpose and why it was originally created. Though the draft of the bill calls for a cutting of NASA's budget and holds NASA funding to below $17 billion, which many consider to be inadequate for a return to the moon program, the majority of the cuts come from areas of NASA's budget which other national organizations deal with — like Earth and climate science research — if you don't take into account their nixing of President Obama's asteroid retrieval mission.

 

Congress to NASA: No asteroid retrieval mission for you

 

Eric Berger - Houston Chronicle's SciGuy

 

I have previously suggested that the depth of congressional support for the president's asteroid retrieval mission is shallow. Perhaps it does not exist at all. Space News reports that a draft of the NASA authorization bill working its way through the House Science, Space and Technology Committee does not include any support for the mission.

 

European cargo ship docks at space station

 

William Harwood - CBS News

 

An unmanned European Space Agency cargo ship loaded with 7.3 tons of supplies, spare parts and science gear completed an autonomous rendezvous with the International Space Station early Saturday, gliding to a smooth docking at Russia's Zvezda command module. Launched June 5 atop a European Ariane 5 booster, ESA's fourth and next-to-last Automated Transfer Vehicle, dubbed Albert Einstein, gently engaged the docking mechanism on Zvezda's aft port at 10:07 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) to complete a complex rendezvous sequence 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

 

ATV arrives at space station with seven tons of cargo

 

Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com

 

Europe's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle pulled into port at the International Space Station on Saturday, delivering a hefty load of supplies, including rocket fuel, experiments, food and clothing for the lab's six-person crew. The 20-ton spaceship, named for physicist Albert Einstein, docked with the space station's Russian service module at 1407 GMT (10:07 a.m. EDT) after a glacial automated approach guided by high-tech lasers and cameras. The docking occurred about 20 minutes behind schedule after engineers at the ATV control center in Toulouse, France, took extra time to reset navigation parameters on the unmanned supply craft.

 

'Albert Einstein' freighter docks with space station

 

BBC News

 

Europe's big freighter, the Albert Einstein ATV, has docked with the International Space Station. The 20-tonne vehicle hooked onto the back of the 415km-high orbiting platform at 14:07 GMT. It is carrying food, water, equipment and fuel for the six live-aboard astronauts on the ISS. Albert Einstein will also provide some useful extra space during its four-month stay, and use its engines to push the platform higher into the sky. The station has a tendency to drift back towards the Earth over time, and the European freighter with its powerful thrusters can provide an altitude boost.

 

ESA's ATV-4 Successfully, Safely Docks With International Space Station

 

Jason Rhian - AmericaSpace.com

 

"Albert Einstein," the European Space Agency's (ESA) Automated Transfer Vehicle, or "ATV," has safely docked with the International Space Station (ISS). Docking occurred Saturday at 10:07 a.m. EDT to the rear end of the station's Zvezda service module. The docking was automated and concluded the spacecraft's 10-day journey to the orbiting laboratory. The ATV-4, dubbed "Albert Einstein" in honor of the famous physicist, launched on May 5 atop the powerful Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. ATV-4 carried some 5,465 pounds of dry cargo, hardware, and supplies. Also on board was 1,896 pounds of propellant, which will be transferred to Zvezda, as well as 5,688 pounds of propellant, which will be used to modify the space station's orbit. Of great importance to the Expedition 36 crew are the 1,257 pounds of water and 220 pounds of oxygen and air.

 

Filling the void left by Space Shuttle Program

 

Anthony Pura - WEAR TV (Pensacola)

 

When the space shuttle program ended in 2011, it created a void in space travel. This year forty million of your tax dollars will be spent trying to fill that void. State lawmakers toured Space Florida facilities at Cape Canaveral. They say your money is being well spent. 15,000 people were working at the Kennedy Space Center during the height of the space shuttle program. Once it ended thousands of jobs went overseas or were lost all together. Now with the help of state incentives, private companies are stepping up.

 

Engine Anomaly Overview

 

Amy Svitak - Aviation Week

 

An exhaustive review of all available data by both SpaceX and NASA suggests the engine anomaly experienced on CRS-1 was likely the result of an undetected material flaw in the engine chamber jacket. The material flaw was most likely introduced during engine production. For Merlin 1C, the engine chamber jacket is formed by an electroplating process, and this particular chamber required extra plating cycles during production. This re-plating process is not uncommon, but does have the potential to introduce flaws in the jacket that can be difficult to detect.

 

NASA's Morpheus prototype planetary lander making comeback after crash

 

Mark Carreau – Aerospace Daily

 

The development team for NASA's Morpheus prototype precision planetary lander is prepping for a late July return to Kennedy Space Center, where engineers plan to resume the free-flight test campaign that was abruptly suspended last August with a fiery crash of the test vehicle. The liquid oxygen/methane-fueled replacement test vehicle and launch pad are being substantially enhanced with the addition of redundant inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a flame trench to address the loss of guidance data and a buildup of destructive vibro-acoustic forces identified as the most likely cause of the Aug. 9, 2012, crash.

 

Canadian Superstar Astronaut Hadfield Announces Retirement

 

Elizabeth Howell - Space.com

 

Rock star astronaut Chris Hadfield, just returned from a five-month stint in orbit, will be hanging up his spacesuit for a new adventure, the Canadian spaceflyer announced June June 10. Hadfield, who picked up more than a million Twitter followers while commanding the International Space Station's Expedition 35 mission, announced June 10 that he will retire from the Canadian Space Agency.

 

In space, Chinese are still far behind

 

John Kelly - Florida Today (Commentary)

 

Don't fall prey to the politically-driven hysteria or, in some cases, just sloppy journalism. Yes, the Chinese launched men to a space station in orbit around the Earth. The launch on Tuesday from the Gobi desert, the subsequent docking at the country's orbiting Tiangong-1 module, and the crew staying there are all important milestones for the Chinese space program. But, don't let yourself get caught up in the idea that the Chinese are somehow gaining ground and soon to pass the United States, Russia or their partners in the International Space Station project. Also, don't get too concerned that the Chinese have their own system to launch an astronaut crew to space and the U.S. does not.

 

Retiree helped a fledging NASA land in southwest

 

Joey Millwood – Hendersonville Times-News (N. Carolina)

 

Today, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center sits on nearly 2,000 acres of land and is home to some of the most sophisticated technology in the world. It's the training ground for American astronauts. Joseph Piland can remember when the property was nothing but open land with cattle roaming the grounds. Piland, who retired from NASA in 1982 and now lives in Hendersonville, was a part of the team that met the owner in Houston and saw the land in person. The land was donated to Rice University and then to the U.S. government. The government bought another 600 acres surrounding it, Piland said.

__________

 

COMPLETE STORIES

 

Draft NASA Authorization Bill Nixes Asteroid Retrieval Mission

 

Dan Leone - Space News

 

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee has begun drafting a NASA authorization bill that would hold the agency to a top line of about $16.87 billion, bar funding for a planned asteroid rendezvous mission, and divert money for Earth observation into robotic missions to other parts of the solar system, according to an official summary of the bill obtained by Space News.

 

The bill also would authorize NASA to spend $700 million annually on the Commercial Crew Program — up from the $500 million Congress authorized in 2010 — and require the agency to report every 90 days on the effort.

 

The House Science space subcommittee has scheduled a June 19 hearing on the NASA Authorization Act of 2013.  NASA Advisory Council Chairman Steven Squyres and former Martin Marietta chief executive A. Thomas Young have been called to testify.

 

A summary of the draft bill is reproduced here:

 

Highlights of the NASA Authorization Act of 2013

 

This bill authorizes programs and projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for two years. Proposed NASA funding is consistent with the Budget Control Act and FY2013 appropriations--$16,865,200,000.  If House-Senate agree to repeal and replace the BCA, then funding would be added to the International Space Station, Space Launch System, and Commercial Crew.  NASA continues to be the world's premier space organization. This bill seeks to ensure sustainability of purpose and budget for high-priority programs. 

 

NASA's Mission Objectives

 

Human Spaceflight:  Building on the themes of previous authorizations, this legislation reaffirms Congress's commitment to space exploration, both human and robotic, using a "go-as-we-can-afford-to-pay" strategy toward NASA's missions.  This bill makes clear that missions to lunar orbit, the surface of the Moon, and Mars are the goals for NASA's human spaceflight program with quadrennial reports for what progress has been made toward those goals.

 

In the near-term, the primary objectives for NASA human spaceflight include:

 

·         •Realizing the research potential of the International Space Station with an Office of Science & Technology Policy-led strategic plan for all science agencies to conduct research on the Station.  NASA will study the feasibility of continuing its operational lifespan beyond 2020.

 

·         •Continued commitment to develop the Space Launch System and Orion Crew Vehicle to return to the Moon and beyond, but no funding for an asteroid rendezvous mission.  Reiterates Congressional direction that Orion be a backup system to support the Space Station if necessary.

 

·         •Building Commercial Crew systems (with NASA funds) to launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil as soon as possible, so we are no longer reliant on Russia.

 

Science Programs:  Relying on the guidance of National Academy of Sciences Decadal Surveys, this bill restores proper balance to NASA's science portfolio.  NASA Earth Science is reduced to 2008 spending levels to provide better balance of funding for NASA's planetary science programs.  Thirteen different federal agencies fund $2.5 billion annually in climate science research, but only NASA has space exploration as its primary mission.  NASA is still involved in climate change research—spending $1.2 billion annually. NASA must remain focused on building weather satellites for NOAA to meet our nation's urgent weather-monitoring needs, as well as building LANDSAT satellites for the US Geological Survey. 

 

·         Maintains launch date of the James Webb Space Telescope by 2018.

 

·         Funds survey for potentially-hazardous Earth-crossing asteroids.

 

·         Continues exciting search for planets around other stars and life on other worlds.

 

Aeronautics: A robust aeronautics research program is important for the safe integration of unmanned aerial systems into the national airspace as well as NextGen technology for air traffic management.

 

STEM Education:  There's bipartisan agreement that the Administration's proposal to re-organize NASA's STEM education program is questionable.  This bill maintains FY 2013 organization and funding level.

 

NASA Leadership:  Witnesses have raised concerns that NASA have been too politicized in recent years, adversely affecting the success of NASA's programs. This bill would make the following changes:  Like the National Science Foundation, the NASA Administrator would be appointed to a 6-year term appointment.  The NASA Advisory Council would be structured to provide more stakeholder input, with appointments by both the Congress and the President.

 

Space Act Agreements:  The bill provides greater public accountability and transparency on SAAs.

 

Controlling Costs:  Requires NASA to enforce more cost estimating discipline for its programs, while restoring funds set aside for contract termination liability toward development work on high-priority programs.

 

NASA Authorization Bill says no to asteroid retrieval, yes to return to moon

 

Douglas Cobb - The Guardian

 

The draft version of the 2013 NASA Authorization Bill that will be voted upon by Congress says no to the asteroid retrieval mission that President Obama is backing, and yes to a manned return to the moon asap, according to a June 14, 2013 article in Space News.

 

This indicates a clear change in the course that Congress wants NASA to follow, based upon a reassessment of the space organization's purpose and why it was originally created.

 

Though the draft of the bill calls for a cutting of NASA's budget and holds NASA funding to below $17 billion, which many consider to be inadequate for a return to the moon program, the majority of the cuts come from areas of NASA's budget which other national organizations deal with — like Earth and climate science research — if you don't take into account their nixing of President Obama's asteroid retrieval mission.

 

The NASA Authorization Bill calls for an  increase in authorized funding for the commercial crew program, in robotic planetary missions, and support for the James Webb Space Telescope.

 

Asteroids won't be totally ignored in the bill. It does call for a survey to search for approaching asteroids, which indicates that they are concerned about the possibility of one hitting the Earth.

 

The draft version of the NASA Authorization Bill is currently working its way through the House Science Committee. The Senate has not taken up consideration of the draft of the NASA bill yet.

 

If the cancellation of the asteroid retrieval mission and an insistence upon returning to the moon make it to the final version of the NASA Authorization Bill, and it gets passed by both houses, Congress will yet again be placed on a collision course with the White House.

 

Both President Obama and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden oppose the cancellation of the asteroid retrieval mission and a return to the moon, at least in the near future.

 

Ever since President Obama cancelled the Constellation space exploration program that would have returned American astronauts to the moon by 2020, the Congress and White House have knocked heads with each other over what NASA's space policy should be.

 

This legislation reaffirms Congress's commitment to space exploration, both human and robotic. The draft of the NASA Authorization Bill suggests using a "go-as-we-can-afford-to-pay" strategy toward NASA's missions.  Missions to lunar orbit, the surface of the Moon, and Mars are the goals the bill mentions for NASA's human spaceflight program, with quadrennial reports for what progress has been made toward those goals.

 

Near-term goals, the primary objectives for NASA human spaceflight include conducting more research aboard the International Space Station with an Office of Science & Technology Policy-led strategic plan for all science agencies and studying the feasibility of continuing the operational lifespan of the space station beyond 2020.

 

Other objectives of the bill are a continued commitment to develop the Space Launch System and Orion Crew Vehicle to return to the Moon and beyond, but no funding for an asteroid rendezvous mission.

 

The NASA Authorization Bill reaffirms that the Orion Crew Vehicle will be a backup system to support the Space Station if necessary.

 

Also of primary importance in the funding of the bill is building Commercial Crew Systems with NASA funds to launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil as soon as possible, so we are no longer reliant on Russia.

 

The draft version of the NASA Authorization Bill says no to President Obama  and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden's plans to have NASA be involved in an asteroid retrieval mission. However, in saying yes to re-directing NASA's course back towards landing man on the moon again, the bill might be setting  the stage for manned exploration to other planets, such as Mars.

 

Congress to NASA: No asteroid retrieval mission for you

 

Eric Berger - Houston Chronicle's SciGuy

 

I have previously suggested that the depth of congressional support for the president's asteroid retrieval mission is shallow.

 

Perhaps it does not exist at all.

 

Space News reports that a draft of the NASA authorization bill working its way through the House Science, Space and Technology Committee does not include any support for the mission.

 

The bill, according to a summary offers:

 

Continued commitment to develop the Space Launch System and Orion Crew Vehicle to return to the Moon and beyond, but no funding for an asteroid rendezvous mission.

 

As you may recall, back in April, the president's budget plan for the space agency included $105 million in seed funding for a mission to robotically capture an asteroid and bring it to a location near the moon, where astronauts could explore it.

 

But many in Congress — and many outside of Congress — have never warmed to this proposed mission, which would give the rocket and spacecraft NASA is developing during this decade something to do in the early 2020s.

 

Many in Congress want NASA to focus on sending humans back to the moon and establishing a semi-permanent presence there.

 

The House Science space subcommittee has scheduled a June 19 hearing on the NASA Authorization Act of 2013.

 

European cargo ship docks at space station

 

William Harwood - CBS News

 

An unmanned European Space Agency cargo ship loaded with 7.3 tons of supplies, spare parts and science gear completed an autonomous rendezvous with the International Space Station early Saturday, gliding to a smooth docking at Russia's Zvezda command module.

 

Launched June 5 atop a European Ariane 5 booster, ESA's fourth and next-to-last Automated Transfer Vehicle, dubbed Albert Einstein, gently engaged the docking mechanism on Zvezda's aft port at 10:07 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) to complete a complex rendezvous sequence 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

 

"Contact confirmed," someone said in Russian. A few moments later, one of the crew members observed that docking "was softer than with the (Russian) Progress."

 

Tipping the scales at 44,610 pounds, Automated Transfer Vehicle No. 4 is the heaviest payload ever launched by the European Space Agency and a welcome addition for the station's six-man crew.

 

The spacecraft is loaded with more than 14,000 pounds of cargo, including 7,584 pounds of propellant, 1,257 pounds of water, 220 pounds of oxygen and 5,465 pounds of dry cargo, including experiment hardware, spare parts, food and clothing.

 

One question mark going into the final stages of the approach to the space station was the status of a laser retro-reflector mounted near the Zvezda docking port that was needed to help the ATV's navigation system compute velocity and orientation.

 

A jammed navigation antenna on a Russian Progress cargo ship that arrived April 26 came in close proximity to the retro-reflector, raising a bit of concern about possible damage or contamination that might prevent the ATV's navigation system from working properly.

 

Russian engineers said they were confident the retro-reflector was in good shape and when the Progress undocked last Tuesday, clearing the way for ATV-4's arrival, no obvious signs of damage could be ween in television views from the departing spacecraft.

 

But the issue wasn't fully resolved until early today when the ATV's navigation system began incorporating retro-reflector data into its computations at a distance of around 820 feet from the station.

 

The system appeared to operate normally, but ESA flight controllers decided to spend a bit of additional time at the so-called S3 hold point to make sure the system was healthy and to update navigation routines that would be called into play if an abort was required.

 

But there were no problems, and the cargo ship proceeded to a picture-perfect linkup.

 

ATV arrives at space station with seven tons of cargo

 

Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com

 

Europe's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle pulled into port at the International Space Station on Saturday, delivering a hefty load of supplies, including rocket fuel, experiments, food and clothing for the lab's six-person crew.

 

The 20-ton spaceship, named for physicist Albert Einstein, docked with the space station's Russian service module at 1407 GMT (10:07 a.m. EDT) after a glacial automated approach guided by high-tech lasers and cameras.

 

The docking occurred about 20 minutes behind schedule after engineers at the ATV control center in Toulouse, France, took extra time to reset navigation parameters on the unmanned supply craft.

 

"Thanks to the ground teams," Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano posted on his Twitter account. "ATV docking was really easy. Now the hard job begins: unpacking everything!"

 

The cargo ship blasted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana on June 5, beginning a 10-day pursuit of the space station. A Russian Progress supply freighter left the space station Tuesday, clearing the aft port of the Zvezda service module for the arrival of the Albert Einstein spacecraft.

 

The ATV hauled seven tons of payload to the space station, including 5,465 pounds of supplies stowed inside the craft's cargo cabin. The materials include food - tiramisu, lasagna, parmesan and other meals - along with experiments, clothing and spare parts.

 

"With the fourth ATV now ready to support and supply the space station with essential supplies and scientific experiments, ESA again proves itself to be a reliable partner in the international station upon which the future can be developed," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency.

 

Astronauts will open the hatches between Zvezda and the cargo ship Monday, with unpacking of the ATV's pressurized compartment due to begin Tuesday. Technicians loaded the ATV's cargo hold with 209 bags containing 1,400 items, which will take several weeks for the crew to move and store inside the space station.

 

Most of the supplies are for NASA, which uses resupply craft owned by Europe and Japan in a barter arrangement. The European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency pay for their share of the space station's operating costs through cargo services instead of cash.

 

ESA says each ATV mission costs 450 million euros, or about $600 million.

 

The cargo includes a toolbox made with a 3D printer and an experiment to investigate the way emulsions - droplets suspended in a liquid - behave in microgravity. Emulsions are used in a range of applications on Earth, particularly foods like salad dressings and mayonnaise, according to scientists.

 

Built by EADS Astrium, also prime contractor for the ATV and Ariane 5 launch vehicle, the emulsion experiment will be installed by astronauts into the fluid science lab inside the European Columbus module on the space station, beginning up to eight months of experimentation using a microscope and differential scanning calorimeter.

 

The Albert Einstein mission also carries a fresh microscope for a European Biolab science rack, a cooling servicer, and a 176-pound spare water pump for the Columbus lab module.

 

NASA furnished a ride for a water recycling device for the space station's life support system, which purifies urine into drinking water in a closed-loop system.

 

The ATV's cargo hold also contains bags with a new GPS antenna for Japan's Kibo module, and a fresh stock of gas masks to replace old ones on the space station.

 

While unloading of the ATV's dry cargo will be done manually, the rest of the the ship's supply load - comprising fuel, air and water - will be pumped into the space station.

 

The Albert Einstein mission carried 1,896 pounds of propellant to transfer into Zvezda's fuel tanks, plus nearly six tons of propellant to use for maneuvering the space station away from space junk and raise its orbit higher.

 

ATV 4 also delivered 1,245 pounds of water and 220 pounds of air and pure oxygen to revitalize the station's atmosphere.

 

At the end of its mission, the European freighter will be transformed into garbage truck as astronauts load tons of trash and old equipment into the ATV before it leaves the space station in late October.

 

Controllers will put the craft on a trajectory to burn up during re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.

 

One more Automated Transfer Vehicle is being constructed by Astrium for launch to the space station in June 2014.

 

ESA and NASA signed an agreement in January to merge the ATV program with the U.S. Orion crew vehicle, which will take astronauts on journeys to deep space beginning in the 2020s.

 

Europe is providing a modified ATV service module for the Orion spacecraft's unmanned test flight in 2017, plus components for a manned mission in 2021. ESA could build service modules for further Orion missions if the agreement is expanded.

 

"Such a gentle contact between a spacecraft the size of a double-decker bus and a Station 20 times larger is an amazing achievement, highlighting the impressive level of control achieved by this European space system developed by our industry under ESA's direction," said Thomas Reiter, ESA's director of human spaceflight and operations. "These impressive technological capabilities will live on in the service module of NASA's upcoming Orion crew vehicle."

 

'Albert Einstein' freighter docks with space station

 

BBC News

 

Europe's big freighter, the Albert Einstein ATV, has docked with the International Space Station.

 

The 20-tonne vehicle hooked onto the back of the 415km-high orbiting platform at 14:07 GMT.

 

It is carrying food, water, equipment and fuel for the six live-aboard astronauts on the ISS.

 

Albert Einstein will also provide some useful extra space during its four-month stay, and use its engines to push the platform higher into the sky.

 

The station has a tendency to drift back towards the Earth over time, and the European freighter with its powerful thrusters can provide an altitude boost.

 

European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Misurkin sat in the rear of the station to watch Albert Einstein's approach.

 

They had the ability to command the vehicle to retreat if they had any concerns about its behaviour, but Albert Einstein performed flawlessly, docking over the Pacific Ocean just east of Japan.

 

The freighter - also known by its generic name of Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) - was launched from Europe's Kourou spaceport on an Ariane 5 on 5 June.

 

It is the fourth such vehicle produced by Esa and European industry. The cargo ships form part of the subscription Europe pays to belong to the ISS project.

 

One more vehicle is planned to fly next year before production ceases at Bremen, Germany.

 

The ATV assembly line will then be turned over to building a propulsion unit for US space agency's (Nasa) future crew ship, Orion.

 

This capsule will carry astronauts beyond the space station to destinations such as asteroids and Mars. It will need a "service module" to push it through space and Nasa has engaged Esa to adapt ATV technology for the purpose.

 

Albert Einstein will stay attached to the ISS until late October.

 

Astronauts will gradually remove its "Russian water", air and 2.5 tonnes of dry cargo, starting on Tuesday next week. It will all be replaced with rubbish that has built up on the platform.

 

When the freighter leaves the station, it will take this refuse on a destructive dive into the Earth's atmosphere.

 

ESA's ATV-4 Successfully, Safely Docks With International Space Station

 

Jason Rhian - AmericaSpace.com

 

"Albert Einstein," the European Space Agency's (ESA) Automated Transfer Vehicle, or "ATV," has safely docked with the International Space Station (ISS). Docking occurred Saturday at 10:07 a.m. EDT to the rear end of the station's Zvezda service module. The docking was automated and concluded the spacecraft's 10-day journey to the orbiting laboratory.

 

The ATV-4, dubbed "Albert Einstein" in honor of the famous physicist, launched on May 5 atop the powerful Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. ATV-4 carried some 5,465 pounds of dry cargo, hardware, and supplies. Also on board was 1,896 pounds of propellant, which will be transferred to Zvezda, as well as 5,688 pounds of propellant, which will be used to modify the space station's orbit. Of great importance to the Expedition 36 crew are the 1,257 pounds of water and 220 pounds of oxygen and air.

 

According to a statement released by NASA, the 13-ton ATV is the heaviest spacecraft ever to be sent into the black by ESA.

 

Four days before the ATV-4 docked to the station, the same port was utilized to send the Russian Progress spacecraft, packed with trash, on its way.

 

The Progress spacecraft also reviewed some of its handy work on its way out. The Russian-built craft took imagery of the port to look for possible damage that might have occurred when it docked.

 

The Progress 51's Kurs antenna failed to deploy; it was thought this antenna, which was in the wrong position, might have damaged the docking port, and the event raised concerns that the Albert Einstein ATV-4 would have problems docking to the ISS. This turned out to be inaccurate and the Albert Einstein docked with no issues.

 

The Progress resupply vessel will spend a couple days orbiting our planet before it conducts a fiery plunge into Earth's atmosphere Tuesday, where it will burn up above the Pacific Ocean. While on orbit engineers will conduct tests on the cargo vessel.

 

The crew on board the station will offload the supplies on board Albert Einstein and replace them with trash. If all goes according to plan, the Albert Einstein will undock from the ISS in late October. Like Progress, the ATV is not reusable; it too will end its days in a fiery reentry in Earth's atmosphere somewhere above the Pacific. In the meantime, the crew on the ISS will use the Albert Einstein's extra storage space, thus providing them with more habitable volume.  Components of ESA's ATV will be used to aid the United States' next human-rated spacecraft, Orion.

 

Filling the void left by Space Shuttle Program

 

Anthony Pura - WEAR TV (Pensacola)

 

When the space shuttle program ended in 2011, it created a void in space travel.

 

This year forty million of your tax dollars will be spent trying to fill that void. State lawmakers toured Space Florida facilities at Cape Canaveral.

 

They say your money is being well spent.

 

15,000 people were working at the Kennedy Space Center during the height of the space shuttle program.

 

Once it ended thousands of jobs went overseas or were lost all together.

 

Now with the help of state incentives, private companies are stepping up.

 

Boeing has taken over this giant shuttle facility. Your tax dollars paid for the buildings renovation.

 

In turn for the first time ever, Boeing will build space vehicles like this one in Florida.

 

Commercial space flight is still in its early stages.

 

Lawmakers toured existing launch sites, Space X which makes rockets, and a Lockheed facility where cameras were banned.

 

Space Florida's job is to find deals that work and put people back to work.

 

Representative Matt Hudson sits on an economic development subcommittee.

 

High School science teacher turned lawmaker Mark Danish says Florida is synomous with Space Missions and state incentives will keep it that way.

 

Lighter, smaller, cheaper were the watchwords of those pitching private space deals. So the the number of jobs will likely never return to what it once was.

 

One guess it's a total of ten thousand jobs, but in this case, even the sky isn't the limit.

 

Engine Anomaly Overview

 

Amy Svitak - Aviation Week

 

In a Feb. 14 briefing to congressional oversight committees, SpaceX explained what went wrong with the Oct. 8, 2012 Falcon 9 launch that successfully delivered a Dragon cargo vessel to the ISS, but which left a secondary payload launched for Orbcomm in the wrong obit. Note that SpaceX has since launched a Falcon 9 mission that ultimately sent Dragon to the space station in March. In addition, the company is expected to debut a new, more powerful version of the Falcon 9 Merlin 1C engine - the Merlin 1D -- this year.

 

An exhaustive review of all available data by both SpaceX and NASA suggests the engine anomaly experienced on CRS-1 was likely the result of an undetected material flaw in the engine chamber jacket.

 

The material flaw was most likely introduced during engine production. For Merlin 1C, the engine chamber jacket is formed by an electroplating process, and this particular chamber required extra plating cycles during production. This re-plating process is not uncommon, but does have the potential to introduce flaws in the jacket that can be difficult to detect.

 

In addition, during testing, the main combustion chamber on this engine experienced a unique combination of environments as compared to the other engines. While none of these observations exceeded demonstrated qualification margins, the combination of these environments likely exacerbated the material flaw on  the engine's main combustion chamber jacket.

 

During flight, the data suggests this material flaw ultimately developed into a breach in the main combustion chamber. This breach released a jet of hot gas and fuel in the direction of the main fuel line causing a secondary leak and ultimately a rapid drop in engine pressure. As a result, the flight computer commanded shutdown of engine 1 and Falcon 9 continued on its path to ensure Dragon's entry into orbit for subsequent rendezvous and berthing with the ISS.

 

These findings correspond with what was observed by long range tracking cameras during the launch. The video shows the nacelle panels that enclosed engine 1 as well as adjacent panels  being jettisoned from the engine section of the first stage.  These panels are designed to relieve pressure if necessary, as would be in the event of an engine chamber breach.

 

Falcon 9 did exactly what it was designed to do. Like the Saturn V (which experienced engine loss on two flights) and modern airliners, Falcon 9 is designed to handle an engine out situation and still complete its mission. No other rocket currently flying has this ability.

 

For the upcoming CRS-2 flight, SpaceX reviewed samples with known defects to supplement existing inspection techniques and re-inspected the CRS 2 engine chambers for possible issues. No critical flaws were discovered. In addition, the engines for CRS 2 have not seen as strenuous environments than the engines flown on the CRS 1.

 

NASA's Morpheus prototype planetary lander making comeback after crash

 

Mark Carreau – Aerospace Daily

 

The development team for NASA's Morpheus prototype precision planetary lander is prepping for a late July return to Kennedy Space Center, where engineers plan to resume the free-flight test campaign that was abruptly suspended last August with a fiery crash of the test vehicle.

 

The liquid oxygen/methane-fueled replacement test vehicle and launch pad are being substantially enhanced with the addition of redundant inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a flame trench to address the loss of guidance data and a buildup of destructive vibro-acoustic forces identified as the most likely cause of the Aug. 9, 2012, crash.

 

If this summer's three-month campaign achieves all of its goals, Morpheus will close out a graduated series of test objectives at Kennedy by rising 500 meters above a simulated lunarscape at the north end of Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility. Morpheus would then fly a 1-km trajectory using laser guidance supplied by its equally experimental Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) system to dodge a network of boulders and craters to achieve a soft landing.

 

"Testing so far here has been going really well," said Jon Olansen, who manages Morpheus from NASA's Johnson Space Center, in a June 12 interview. "If that continues, then by the end of July we should be back at KSC."

 

Evaluations of the second Morpheus lander at Johnson, where development is limited to static or tethered test flights, began in April 2011 as part of a NASA initiative to develop an autonomous, multi-purpose lander/testbed for a range of planetary mission assignments and deep-space technology demonstrations. Morpheus might contribute to the testing of Orion/Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle guidance systems; deliveries of robotic hardware to the surface of an asteroid, Mars or the Moon; or perhaps transporting an in-situ resource utilization plant to the lunar surface for oxygen production.

 

The lander's use of non-toxic methane could prove attractive to mission planners beyond the comparative ease of ground handling. Methane could prove favorable as a storable in-space propellant, especially to those who advocate a network of space fuel depots. Unlike liquid hydrogen and oxygen, methane would not require extensive thermal conditioning.

 

During a May 29 test firing at Johnson while suspended from a crane by a tether, Morpheus demonstrated the simultaneous combustion of LOX/methane in the main engine as well as its reaction control system (RCS), another new feature.

 

"That is the first time we know of that anyone carried out an integrated main engine/RCS test using LOX/methane," Olansen said. "That was a nice step forward."

 

The methane-fueled RCS addition is one of 70 upgrades to the second test vehicle following the crash.

 

In the 2012 mishap, the lander lost IMU data less than a second after lifting off on an early unrestrained flight test at Kennedy. It crashed 8 sec. later. The single IMU had flown on 27 previous test flights without an issue. Though much of the vehicle was destroyed, making the forensics difficult, the project team reached a consensus on the most likely cause: destructive vibro-acoustics from the main engine at ignition.

 

Morpheus is now equipped with four IMUs, and all of the devices have been moved outboard from the previous location at the center of the lander. Two are designed for functional redundancy. The others will be flown as data-generating developmental hardware.

 

At Johnson, a flame trench was added at the test site before post-crash static and tethered firings resumed with the replacement lander in April. Meanwhile, the Morpheus project is assembling a third flight-test vehicle.

 

Canadian Superstar Astronaut Hadfield Announces Retirement

 

Elizabeth Howell - Space.com

 

Rock star astronaut Chris Hadfield, just returned from a five-month stint in orbit, will be hanging up his spacesuit for a new adventure, the Canadian spaceflyer announced June 10.

 

Hadfield, who picked up more than a million Twitter followers while commanding the International Space Station's Expedition 35 mission, announced June 10 that he will retire from the Canadian Space Agency.

 

"I've decided to retire from government service after 35 years of serving our country," said Hadfield, who began his career as an air cadet, progressed to military flying for entities such as NORAD, and then became an astronaut in 1992. He and two crewmates landed aboard a Russian spacecraft May 13 in Kazakhstan on their return trip from the space station.

 

The 53-year-old added that he did not want to be an obstacle for the two younger Canadian astronauts waiting for flights, David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen. Canada isn't expected to have a chance to send another crewmember to the station until at least 2016.

 

"I didn't say I don't want to do this anymore, but every one of us is going to retire. This is just a natural part of the process," Hadfield said during a Canadian Space Agency press conference today.

 

Hadfield will leave the agency July 3, two days after he performs a concert on Ottawa's Parliament Hill during Canada's national holiday (the astronaut moonlights as a musician, and even played weightless guitar on orbit). Afterward, Hadfield plans to move back to Canada (he currently lives in Houston, near NASA's astronaut office at the Johnson Space Center) and to take his time deciding what to do next.

 

In a radio interview this weekend, however, Hadfield hinted spaceflight may still be in the cards.

 

'I'm not sure the fat lady has sung'

 

Hadfield emphasized during the press conference that he has not formulated his plans yet. On a Canadian national radio program two days ago, however, he expressed interest in private commercial ventures.

 

In Hadfield's last decade as an astronaut, private firms such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, XCOR Aerospace and others began seriously developing and testing spacecraft of their own. Virgin's SpaceShipTwo could fly people to the edge of space this year or in 2014, as long as test flights continue to stay on pace.

 

"I'm not sure the fat lady has sung," Hadfield said of his spaceflying career on CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks program June 8. But he said he would be "very surprised" if he could fly with the CSA again, given there are two younger astronauts waiting for spots. Commercial spaceflight, however, was a possibility, he added. [Hadfield Hits: How To Shave In Space | Video]

 

"With all the commercial spaceflight that's going on, who knows? John Glenn flew on a second flight when he was well into an advanced stage of his life," Hadfield said, referring to a space shuttle flight the Mercury program astronauttook at age 77. "We'll see what opportunities will come."

 

During today's press conference, Hadfield said his first priority will be physical and psychological recovery. It typically takes nine months for an astronaut returning from a five- to six-month station stay to feel normal again. Hadfield also said he doesn't want to make the mistake of trying to decide his next step too quickly.

 

For the near future, he anticipates some public appearances and continuing to work with students, as he did during several science chats and concerts from orbit.

 

"I've tried to live a life that makes sense, and has logical steps that will be interesting and productive, and so I don't try to make snap decisions," Hadfield said.

 

Social media success

 

Hadfield's primary considerations as Expedition 35 commander were the health and safety of his crew, as well as to ensure science was performed on the station, he has said. In all three counts, he succeeded.

 

Despite a tricky last-minute spacewalk to repair an ammonia leak, Hadfield's crewmates all returned to Earth eager to go back up again, he said. Their productivity in science experiments also set a record.

 

The three-time spaceflyer said this flight was different, however, as social media allowed him to easily reach audiences on Earth.

 

Hadfield took full advantage of the opportunity. He played several concerts from orbit, recorded more than 140 educational videos, took 45,000 pictures and conducted several press conferences and school chats. He launched Dec. 19 with 21,000 Twitter followers, and reached a million followers a few days ago.

 

Hadfield's work also received accolades from celebrities ranging from Star Trek's William Shatner to David Bowie, who endorsed a version of "Space Oddity" that Hadfield performed on the station.

 

"[My mission] included millions of people around the world," Hadfield said. "We as a combined force reached a level of public involvement and public interest which was unprecedented."

 

Hadfield said he is happy to leave the CSA under the helm of acting president Gilles Leclerc, and will move back to Canada to follow a promise made to his wife that they would return to their home country.

 

"My feet are getting used to the ground again, and we'll see," he said. "I'm interested to see, with my feet firmly planted back in Canada, what the future will bring."

 

In space, Chinese are still far behind

 

John Kelly - Florida Today (Commentary)

 

Don't fall prey to the politically-driven hysteria or, in some cases, just sloppy journalism.

 

Yes, the Chinese launched men to a space station in orbit around the Earth. The launch on Tuesday from the Gobi desert, the subsequent docking at the country's orbiting Tiangong-1 module, and the crew staying there are all important milestones for the Chinese space program.

 

But, don't let yourself get caught up in the idea that the Chinese are somehow gaining ground and soon to pass the United States, Russia or their partners in the International Space Station project. Also, don't get too concerned that the Chinese have their own system to launch an astronaut crew to space and the U.S. does not.

 

The Chinese achievements are interesting to watch, but they're decades behind veteran space-faring nations like the U.S. and Russia. Their flight is not to some sprawling orbiting laboratory like the ISS. Rather, they docked their 60s-era Shenzou spacecraft to a tiny, one-module space station that is a little over one-tenth of the size of the U.S. Skylab and Russian Salyut stations of decades past.

 

The Chinese program's speculated ambition is a space station of the caliber of Russia's Mir outpost.

 

Even with their accelerated and possibly well-funded, military-driven approach to a human space program, all indicators are that the China effort is going to take a decade and probably multiple decades to catch up to where the international station partners are now.

 

Talk of the Chinese program aiming for a moon landing in the future are overstated. Be skeptical of any target dates that you're reading in any "news" account coming out of China. Those are colored by both state influence over the news and the same kinds of overly optimistic assumptions that we've seen here in the early stages of any planned space program. Don't expect to see taikonauts on the moon on CNN in the coming decade.

 

The Chinese program is interesting to watch. It's on an accelerated development path, in part because there's a government commitment to stable funding, but also because they're piggybacking on decades of engineering experience to skip the kinds of problems the space pioneer nations of Russia and the U.S. had to solve from scratch.

 

But any political and even media buzz about the Chinese being a threat to U.S. space superiority is just jawboning by people trying to prey on the average voter's lack of geopolitical knowledge, to try to stir up outdated Cold War sentiments that might fuel a budget hike for NASA or our military space projects.

 

There are more layered questions to be asking about where the Chinese fit into humankind's quest to explore the solar system, and most of them should be centered on the appropriate level of collaboration, not competition, as we've so successfully done with our onetime rivals and now critical partners in the Russian space program.

 

Retiree helped a fledging NASA land in southwest

 

Joey Millwood – Hendersonville Times-News (N. Carolina)

 

Today, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center sits on nearly 2,000 acres of land and is home to some of the most sophisticated technology in the world. It's the training ground for American astronauts.

 

Joseph Piland can remember when the property was nothing but open land with cattle roaming the grounds. Piland, who retired from NASA in 1982 and now lives in Hendersonville, was a part of the team that met the owner in Houston and saw the land in person.

 

The land was donated to Rice University and then to the U.S. government. The government bought another 600 acres surrounding it, Piland said.

 

It was ironic that Piland was one of the first people to look at the acreage and envision one of the primary locations of the space program, which was in its infancy at this point. President John F. Kennedy had just announced to the world in a speech to Congress that one of his goals was for America to go to the moon.

 

"That opened all kinds of doors," said Piland, who went on to serve as director of operations at the space center for three decades.

 

He grew up in rural Virginia and had never envisioned this life for himself. Instead, Piland saw a farm in his future, but on a slightly smaller scale than the one chosen for the space center.

 

"My daddy had some cows and I could milk them when I was 8 years old," he said.

 

When Piland graduated high school, he was accepted to a technical school run by the Navy in Portsmouth, Va. When he graduated from the program four years later, the world was at war.

 

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and graduated as a navigator. He shipped out to New Guinea in the South Pacific and flew as a navigator in 64 missions. When the war ended, Piland took advantage of the GI Bill and enrolled at Virginia Tech. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

 

In 1949, he went to work for the National Advisory Committee on Aviation, which in 1958 became NASA. Three years later, Kennedy gave his speech to Congress.

 

Months after that, Piland and others were looking at cattle without farming on their minds. Instead, the Manned Spacecraft Center, later named after Johnson, was about to become a piece of a massive program that would change the world.

 

"I was here in the beginning when we put the chain-link fence around the property," Piland said.

 

He spent the next three decades as the director of operations. Piland was in charge of the facilities, maintenance and power. He watched the center grow to more than 100 buildings.

 

Beyond that, he was on hand for some of the most memorable moments in the history of not only the United States, but the world. When Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins went to the moon as the world watched, Piland was in Houston.

 

The rockets that boosted the shuttles into orbit were built at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. The astronauts were trained and the shuttle was designed at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The rocket astronauts and the shuttle converged on the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Orlando for launch.

 

As those launches happened, Piland was either at the control center or walking the grounds at the center in Houston.

 

"I didn't push the button, but I better give them power so they can push the button," Piland said of his job.

 

When Apollo 13 had America on the edge of its seat, Piland was walking from the control center to his office late one night. He ran into a woman who cleaned the offices. She was in tears and asked if he thought the astronauts would be all right.

 

That woman, he said, was symbolic of the team-style approach that consumed everyone who worked in Houston.

 

"They were emotionally involved with those guys that were sticking their necks out," Piland said.

 

Piland has been a part of just about every historic space flight since the inception of NASA. He worked on Project Mercury all the way up to the Apollo flights. He's met hundreds of astronauts, including Armstrong and Aldrin.

 

He retired in 1982 and moved to Hendersonville in 1984. He and his wife of 66 years, Ruth, moved into Carolina Village nine years ago.

 

As he approaches his 90th birthday in December, Piland can only think back and smile about the history that he experienced in his lifetime.

 

"I often say I've had a tremendous life with the experiences I've had," he said.

 

END