Fwd: Human Spaceflight News - September 19, 2013 and JSC Today

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Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
> Date: September 19, 2013 5:59:26 AM GMT-06:00
> To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
> Subject: FW: Human Spaceflight News - September 19, 2013 and JSC Today
>

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> Thursday, September 19, 2013
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> Read JSC Today in your browser
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> Category Definitions
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> JSC TODAY CATEGORIES
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> Headlines
> - Joint Leadership Team Web Poll
> - Join Us Sept. 24 for Our Next Innovation Event
> - How to Conserve IT Energy at JSC
> - Laptop Servicing Center Location Change
> Organizations/Social
> - JSC NMA Luncheon Next Week - RSVP Now
> - Parenting Series: Time Management, Family & Work
> - The College Money Guys
> - Starport Jewelry Fair
> - Parent's Night Out at Starport - Sept. 20
> Jobs and Training
> - HTC University at JSC Entrepreneurship Course
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> Antares Rocket With Cygnus Spacecraft Launches
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> Headlines
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> Joint Leadership Team Web Poll
> Flex Fridays are a normal workday for some, household chores for others and a trip to the dentist for the rest. It's a secret play day for me; don't tell anyone. This week we look forward to the upcoming Soyuz launch of 36S. I'm vaguely familiar with where it launches from, but not exactly sure. Is it Russia? Ukraine? Star City? I'm further along with planning our big fall festival thanks to you. It will now be called Nerdzilla-Con, and you have to dress up like a comic book character to get in free. I can't wait. This week started a new "Dancing with the Stars," and we all know that Bill Nye the Science Guy is a first-week goner. Who will be next? Snooki? Oprah? Ozzy?
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> Foxtrot your Tango on over to get this week's poll.
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> Joel Walker x30541 http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/
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> Join Us Sept. 24 for Our Next Innovation Event
> Date/Time: Sept. 24 from noon to 1 p.m.
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> Place: Building 35 Collaboration Center
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> Event: Innovation 2013: "Connect and Collaborate to Explore New Ideas"
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> Innovation 2013 takes it to the next level with three more forums:
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> Robert Banfield/DA: "Connecting and Collaborating: How is JSC Doing in the View of Our Partner Organizations?" One of JSC's goals is to expand relevance to life on Earth. How are we doing so far? What is the opinion of partner organizations that work very closely with JSC? What is JSC doing with these partner organizations, and what should we consider doing in the future as part of JSC 2.0?
> Lynn Buquo/SA: "The Crowd Outside Our Gates: How the NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Information (CoECI) Can Advance Your Project." The presentation will provide an overview of CoECI and describe how CoECI helps NASA and other federal agencies generate ideas and solve important problems. Through open prize competitions, NASA organizations and projects can readily increase their creative capacity and reach by tapping into diverse talent from around the world.
> Michael Kincaid/AD: "JSC External Relations 2.0: Check Out New Strategic Communications Approach." Have you wondered how NASA/JSC public communications could be done better to advance human spaceflight programs? Are there ways we can have more impact? Have you wondered how to be involved in education activities or to speak to a classroom? Check out the new strategies and actions that External Relations, including the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, are adopting to stimulate actions by stakeholders to advance our programs. Find out what you can do to be a part of the solution!
> Please register in SATERN and receive training credit. The SATERN links are included in our Innovation websites here (if you're at JSC), or here (if you're external to JSC).
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> If special needs accommodations are necessary in order for you to participate, please contact Janelle Holt at x37504 or via email at least five days prior to each event.
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> This event is open to the entire JSC community!
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> Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Event Start Time:12:00 PM Event End Time:1:00 PM
> Event Location: Building 35 Collaboration Center
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> Add to Calendar
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> Suzan Thomas x48772
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> How to Conserve IT Energy at JSC
> Help further conserve energy at JSC with these Information Technology (IT) tips:
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> Personal computers: "Shut down" mode uses energy. If possible, turn off power strips every night. If strips are hard to reach, "shut down" computers during weeknights, but turn off power strips every weekend. Backups scheduled for the night will occur when computers are back online. Any security patches will be installed at that time. Some updates will require a reboot.
> Monitors and speakers: Turn these off when not in use
> Minolta printers: Do NOT turn these off; this resets the printer, which makes them inefficient
> Other printers: Turn off the power strip on weekends or set to standby mode
> For mission-critical computers that support 24-hour operations, check with your IT point of contact first.
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> For more information and other energy saving tips, visit the Green Team page.
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> IRD and COD x33649
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> Laptop Servicing Center Location Change
> Please be aware that the Laptop Servicing Center has moved to Building 46, Room 120.
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> This office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - including Flex Fridays.
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> This change affects where loaner laptops are issued.
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> Click here for additional information.
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> JSC-IRD-Outreach x36303
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> Organizations/Social
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> JSC NMA Luncheon Next Week - RSVP Now
> You're invited to the September JSC NMA luncheon featuring Jillian Howard, a teacher whose story is incredible and her inspiration infectious. Howard, CCISD and Region IV elementary teacher of the year, is on her way to find out if she will be crowned Texas' teacher of the year. Before those results are out, come listen as she speaks to the JSC NMA's theme for 2013-2014: "Challenge Yourself to Lead"
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> When: Wednesday, Sept. 25
> Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
> Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom
> Cost for members: Free!
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> Cost for non-members: $20
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> There are three great menu options:
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> Flounder Piccata (sautéed filet topped with lemon caper dressing, steamed garlic spinach and basmati rice)
> London Broil with Chimichurri Sauce (grilled balsamic flank steak served with parsley and Chimichurri sauce)
> Tortellini and Roasted Portobello in a Blush Sauce (cheese-filled tortellini tossed with roasted Portobello, tomato cream sauce and fresh thyme)
> Please RSVP by 9 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, with your menu selection. We apologize for the short notice, but Howard's amazing story is one you won't want to miss!
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> Event Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 Event Start Time:11:30 AM Event End Time:12:30 PM
> Event Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom
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> Add to Calendar
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> Catherine Williams x33317 http://www.jscnma.com/Events
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> Parenting Series: Time Management, Family & Work
> Do you overcommit yourself or your family? Do you say yes because you think no one else will do it? Work and family time management is not about a "perfect" balance of work and family needs. We will be discussing the myths, realities and application involved in finding "your" balance. We will explore key areas that each person needs to examine for their career and family to best prioritize their time and energy. Please join us for a self-evaluation and implementation of essential concepts of time management. JSC Employee Assistance Program counselor Anika Isaac, LPC, LMFT, NCC, LCDC, CEAP, will be presenting Time Management for Family and Work today, Sept. 19, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in the Building 30 Auditorium.
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> Event Date: Thursday, September 19, 2013 Event Start Time:12:00 PM Event End Time:1:00 PM
> Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium
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> Add to Calendar
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> Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch x36130
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> The College Money Guys
> The JSC Employee Assistance Program is happy to present Kris Lloyd with The College Money Guys. Lloyd will provide information on paying for college without going broke. If you are the parent of a high school student who plans to attend college, you need to attend this free workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 12 noon in the Building 30 Auditorium.
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> Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Event Start Time:12:00 PM Event End Time:1:00 PM
> Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium
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> Add to Calendar
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> Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch x36130
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> Starport Jewelry Fair
> Masquerade Jewelry will be out on Sept. 24 to showcase $5 jewelry! Stop by Building 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and experience the frenzy of $5 jewelry and accessories.
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> Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Event Start Time:8:00 AM Event End Time:3:00 PM
> Event Location: Building 3
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> Add to Calendar
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> Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
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> Parent's Night Out at Starport - Sept. 20
> Enjoy a night out on the town while your kids enjoy a night with Starport. We will entertain your children with a night of games, crafts, a bounce house, pizza, a movie, dessert and loads of fun!
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> When: Friday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m.
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> Where: Gilruth Center
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> Ages: 5 to 12
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> Cost: $20/first child and $10/each additional sibling if registered by the Wednesday prior to event. If registered after Wednesday, the fee is $25/first child and $15/additional sibling.
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> Register at the Gilruth Center front desk. Click here for more information.
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> Event Date: Friday, September 20, 2013 Event Start Time:6:00 PM Event End Time:10:00 PM
> Event Location: Gilruth Center
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> Add to Calendar
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> Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-n...
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> Jobs and Training
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> HTC University at JSC Entrepreneurship Course
> Interested in learning how to turn your ideas and expertise into a company? Learn how by attending HTC University at JSC, Foundations of Entrepreneurship and Starting a Business Course.
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> Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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> This one day course will focus on the fundamentals of starting a business. You will leave HTC University with a better understanding of how to bring your company to fruition and take home materials to enact a plan to start your business.
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> Preparing a business plan
> Business structure and ownership
> Financial assumptions and projects
> Marketing
> Financing alternatives
> Register now here.
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> Event Date: Friday, September 27, 2013 Event Start Time:7:30 AM Event End Time:3:30 PM
> Event Location: 2200 NASA Road 1 Houston, TX 77058
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> Add to Calendar
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> Evelyn Boatman 281-244-8271 http://www.HoustonTech.org
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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.
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> Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.
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> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2013.0.3408 / Virus Database: 3222/6674 - Release Date: 09/17/13
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> NASA TV:
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> 2 pm Central (3 EDT) – File of E37/38 crew activities & Soyuz processing in Baikonur
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> Human Spaceflight News
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> Thursday – September 19, 2013
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> Antares delivers Cygnus to orbit on a first-ever ISS mission from Virginia (Bill Ingalls)
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> HEADLINES AND LEADS
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> Orbital launches cargo ship on maiden flight to station
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> Cygnus spacecraft powered up, operating normally
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> William Harwood - CBS News
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> In a critical test flight for NASA's space station program, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket making only its second flight blasted off from the Virginia coast Wednesday, lofting an unmanned cargo ship on its maiden flight to the international lab complex. The demonstration mission is a critical test run for Orbital to prove the company's new rocket and Cygnus cargo ship can execute an autonomous rendezvous with the space station and, if necessary, carry out an abort if something goes wrong. If the four-day trip to the station is successful, Orbital will be clear to begin routine cargo delivery missions later this year, joining Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in a commercial program intended to make up for the retirement of the space shuttle.
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> 2nd private company rockets toward space station
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> Marcia Dunn - Associated Press
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> A commercial cargo ship made its successful debut Wednesday, rocketing toward the International Space Station and doubling the number of NASA's private suppliers for the high-flying lab. Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its first-ever supply ship from Virginia's Eastern Shore, the departing point for a NASA moonshot less than two weeks ago. "Look out ISS, here we come," the company said in a tweet. The capsule named Cygnus - bearing 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and goodies for the astronauts - is due at the orbiting outpost on Sunday, following four days of testing.
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> Orbital Sciences' new cargo ship blasts off for space station
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> Irene Klotz - Reuters
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> An unmanned Antares rocket blasted off from a seaside launch pad in Virginia on Wednesday, sending a cargo capsule to the International Space Station. The 13-story rocket, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., lifted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT from the state-owned Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The two-stage booster, making its second flight, soared southeast over the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a pillar of smoke and flame visible from New York City to South Carolina as it headed into orbit.
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> Antares Launches To ISS After Weather Worry
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> Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week
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> The second U.S. commercial cargo carrier launched this morning on its inaugural voyage to the International Space Station, clearing its new launch pad here after mission managers overcame a potential range safety issue. Liftoff of the Orbital Science Corp. Antares launch vehicle, with its pressurized Cygnus cargo capsule on top, came at 10:58 a.m. EDT to start a four-day demonstration mission to the ISS. Orbital is working to join SpaceX as a NASA commercial cargo carrier.
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> Antares Launch Sets Up Engine Search
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> Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. has enough hardware on hand for the 10 commercial cargo missions it has contracted with NASA, and is already looking ahead to the day when it runs out of the surplus Soviet-era Russian engines it uses to power its new Antares launch vehicle. The Dulles, Va.-based company is on the way to completing its second NASA mission with the safe launch Wednesday of its second and final demonstration mission with the Antares, this one carrying pressurized cargo to the International Space Station in the first full-up Cygnus cargo vehicle to fly.
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> Successful launch for Antares rocket; Cygnus on way to space station
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> Joel Achenbach - Washington Post
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> It's not that big of a rocket, really, and the cargo in the spacecraft is relatively mundane — about 1,500 pounds of clothes, food, water, chocolate for the chocolate-craving astronauts, and so on. But the rocket that blasted off at 10:58 a.m. Wednesday from a small island on the Virginia coast is carrying a heavy burden of expectations. Dulles-based Orbital Sciences launched its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket on a supply mission to the international space station, and a great many people at NASA and in the broader space community were watching.
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> Orbital Sciences launches capsule to International Space Station
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> W.J. Hennigan - Los Angeles Times
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> A commercially built spacecraft packed with cargo is now hurtling at 17,500 mph through outer space on course to rendezvous with the International Space Station. The capsule was launched Wednesday atop a 13-story rocket off the coast of Virginia at 7:58 a.m. PDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The two-stage Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., are part of a demonstration resupply mission for NASA.
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> Orbital Sciences Launches Cargo Capsule for Space Station
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> Company Hopes to Become Second Commercial Entity to Supply Orbiting Lab.
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> Andy Pasztor - Wall Street Journal
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. launched an unmanned capsule on its maiden voyage to the international space station, hoping to become the second commercial entity to transport cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The 40-meter Antares rocket, which blasted off without a hitch Wednesday morning from Wallops Island off the Virginia coast, carried the company's Cygnus cargo vehicle, filled with about 680 kilograms of food and other supplies. The mission is intended to demonstrate the capsule's ability to communicate, maneuver and safely link up with the station. If all goes well, Cygnus will arrive Sunday, remain docked for a month and then fire its rockets to break away from the space station and burn up as the capsule falls through the atmosphere.
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> Antares off; Cygnus to berth with ISS Sunday
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> Crew will use robotic arm to capture craft
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> Tamara Dietrich - Hampton Roads Daily Press
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> The Antares rocket burst from the launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on the Eastern Shore Wednesday morning in a milestone effort to prove it can boost a new commercial cargo spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station. The launch was delayed one day from its scheduled launch Tuesday by a bad communications cable, but officials at NASA and rocket-maker Orbital Sciences Corp. said afterward it was worth the wait. "It operated flawlessly," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, told reporters. "This is another historic day for space flight."
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> Privately run spacecraft en route to ISS docking
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> Orbital Science cargo ship must pass tests first
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> James Dean - Florida Today
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> A new U.S. cargo ship is chasing down the International Space Station after a successful launch of its maiden flight Wednesday morning from Virginia's Eastern Shore. Orbital Sciences Corp.'s unmanned Cygnus is on course to reach the outpost early Sunday and become the second privately operated vehicle to accomplish that feat, along with SpaceX's Dragon capsule, which launches from Cape Canaveral. "This is the way of the future," said Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president. "This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in order to maintain a robust space program, and I think we're demonstrating it can be done."
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> New private rocket launches to space station
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> Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel
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> A U.S. spacecraft carrying about 1,300 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station reached orbit Wednesday morning after a trouble-free launch — marking the start of a new chapter in NASA's effort to outsource routine missions to the private sector. The two-stage Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences of Virginia blasted off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 10:58 a.m. carrying a cargo capsule expected to rendezvous with the station Sunday. Less than an hour after liftoff, the Cygnus spacecraft deployed its solar arrays — an indication the launch went well.
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> Cygnus cargo ship flies for first time, heading for space station
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> Alan Boyle - NBCNews.com
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> A new kind of commercial spaceship took to the air for the first time, with the launch of Orbital Sciences Corp's Cygnus cargo craft toward the International Space Station from a Virginia launch pad on Wednesday. Orbital's two-stage Antares rocket lifted off at 10:58 a.m. ET from Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's seaside Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ascent could theoretically be seen from a swath of the East Coast stretching from New York to the Carolinas, although partly cloudy skies at the launch pad reduced visibility.
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> Cygnus on way to station, Orbital Sciences on way to collecting from NASA
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> Dan Leone - Space News
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. on Sept. 18 blasted its Cygnus cargo capsule toward the international space station (ISS) aboard the Antares rocket, marking the start of a demonstration delivery mission that, if successful, will clear the way for the Dulles, Va., company to start collecting on a $1.9 billion NASA contract. In its maiden flight to space, Cygnus separated cleanly from the second stage of Antares — which has now flown twice, counting a demo launch in April — at about 11:08 a.m. EDT, 10 minutes after liftoff from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a state-operated facility at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility here.
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> Cygnus spaceship thunders away on shakedown cruise
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> Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com
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> A privately-owned spaceship built by Orbital Sciences Corp. made an Earth-rattling trip into orbit from Virginia on Wednesday, starting a four-day chase of the International Space Station to close out a nearly $700 million NASA program to foster a fleet of commercial spaceships to replace capabilities lost with the space shuttle's retirement. The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft, fitted with an Italian-built pressurized cargo carrier, blasted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT) aboard an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va.
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> NASA hails private Cygnus spacecraft 'picture perfect' 1st launch to station
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> Tariq Malik - Space.com
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> The mighty roar of a commercial rocket launching a brand-new private cargo ship on a stunning debut test flight from Virginia's Eastern shore Wednesday has NASA overjoyed and the spaceship's builder beaming with pride. An Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched into orbit from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT), carrying the company's first robotic Cygnus spacecraft on a critical demonstration flight to the International Space Station.
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> Orbital Sciences Launches Test Flight to Space Station
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> Jonathan Salant - Bloomberg News
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. (ORB) successfully launched a rocket in an attempt to send an unmanned commercial craft to the International Space Station. The company's new Antares (ANT) rocket carrying the Cygnus capsule lifted off today at 10:58 a.m. from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The scheduled 36-day-long mission is the final test before Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital can make regular cargo deliveries under its $1.9 billion NASA contract. Orbital's flight is its first attempt to fly to the space station, an orbiting research laboratory that conducts experiments in physics, meteorology, biology and other fields. In an earlier test, the company successfully launched a rocket and delivered a mock cargo ship into space.
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> Antares Launch Marks Start of Orbital Sciences Space Station Missions
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> Wayne Rash -eWEEK.com
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> The sound rolled louder than thunder as the Antares rocket rose majestically from Virginia's Launch Complex 0A on Wallops Island at 10:58 a.m. Sept. 18. The Virginia-owned Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch facility was being used by Orbital Sciences to launch an Antares cargo launch vehicle to the International Space Station less than two weeks after the same launch facility launched a rocket to the moon. The Antares launch vehicle carried a Cygnus spacecraft that was loaded with nearly 1,500 pounds of supplies for the Space Station. The spacecraft will first perform a number of maneuvers to demonstrate that it can approach the Space Station safely. Once that is accomplished, the spacecraft will fly in formation with the Space Station, which will then haul it to a docking port using a robotic arm. The docking maneuver will take place early Sept. 22.
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> Antares Picture Perfect Blastoff Launches Commercial Space Race
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> Ken Kremer - Universe Today
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> The new 'Commercial Space Era' received a resounding boost today when a privately developed Antares rocket lofting the first ever Cygnus commercial cargo resupply craft thundered to space from America's newest launch pad at NASA Wallops along the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The history making launch marks the first time that a spacecraft launched from Virginia is blazing a path to the International Space Station (ISS) – thereby scoring a milestone achievement to keep the orbiting lab complex stocked up with supplies and science experiments from American soil. This is the maiden flight of Cygnus.
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> Smooth Sailing, Cygnus:
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> Orbital's New Cargo Ship Rockets to Space on First ISS Supply Mission
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> Ben Evans - AmericaSpace.com
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> Less than two weeks after Pad 0B reverberated to the roar of the first Minotaur V rocket, carrying NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) on its journey to the Moon, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Va., made history again today when Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched its first Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. Liftoff of the 133-foot-tall, two-stage Antares rocket—Orbital's first cryogenic launch vehicle and the largest booster the company has ever built—occurred from neighboring Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m. EDT. The launch was postponed slightly past its 10:50 a.m. target, due to several technical, human, and weather issues. Within 10 minutes of liftoff, the Antares had delivered Cygnus perfectly into orbit, and the spacecraft is currently in the process of unfurling its twin gallium arsenide solar arrays and communications appendages, prior to a rendezvous and berthing with the space station on Sunday.
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> NASA looks to post-2020 International Space Station operations
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> William Harwood - CBS News
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> Barring a catastrophic malfunction or damaging impacts from space debris, NASA should be able to keep the International Space Station (ISS) in operation at least through 2020 and, with steady funding, careful planning and a bit of luck, through 2028 -- the 30th anniversary of the first module's launch -- officials say. But reduced power from degraded solar arrays and other crippling consequences of decades spent in the extreme environment of space will slowly but surely take their toll and the cost-benefit ratio eventually will tilt in favor of abandonment and a fiery controlled re-entry. While the engineering and management challenges associated with keeping the station operational are daunting, ISS program manager Michael Suffredini says they should be doable, as long as NASA has the resources to build spare parts, pay for cargo launches and provide transportation for U.S. astronauts, either aboard U.S. commercial spacecraft or Russian Soyuz capsules.
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> NASA's Low-Tech Secrets
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> A legacy of utilizing legacy technology
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> Terry Dunn - Tested.com
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> (Dunn worked for 15 years as a NASA contractor at NASA Johnson Space Center, and now lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he works as an engineer in the plastics industry)
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> Since its inception in 1958, NASA has fostered a very high-tech, cutting-edge public image. Surely astronauts commute about Houston in flying cars and stash concealed ray guns under those blue jumpsuits, right? As a kid in central Florida, watching space shuttle launches from my backyard, that Buck Rogers aura was the only side of NASA that I ever knew. You can imagine my surprise when I came to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in 1997 as a budding engineer and found a decidedly less futuristic, almost anachronistic side of the agency. I do not intend my observation as a slight against NASA…actually quite the contrary. Spaceflight has always been a balance between managing risk and fostering innovation. Whereas unmanned, scientific missions are more apt to dabble in pioneering technologies, programs that send humans to orbit have embraced whatever proven technologies are feasible and available. Strapping yourself to a rocket ship has enough intrinsic risk, so why not hedge the odds where you can?
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> NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight
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> Craig Hlavaty - Houston Chronicle
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> NASA is offering you the chance to help assist in the future of manned spaceflight, and all you have to do is confine yourself to a hospital bed for three months or so. The space agency has an ongoing bed-rest study and they need test subjects. Who wouldn't want to lay in bed for a 15 weeks and paid for doing it? But there are plenty of catches, according to researchers Ronita Cromwell and John Neigut with the Flight Analogs Project, based out of the Johnson Space Center.
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> China's space station to open for foreign peers
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> Zhao Lei - China Daily
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> China is willing to provide training and open the Chinese space station to foreign astronauts, senior space flight officials said. "We would like to train astronauts from other countries and organizations that have such a demand, and we would be glad to provide trips to foreign astronauts," said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency. "We will also welcome foreign astronauts who have received our training to work in our future space station." Yang, China's first astronaut, who went into space in 2003, said many countries submitted proposals to the Chinese government during the development of the space station, hoping China would help train their astronauts and then send them to the station to conduct scientific experiments.
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> Giant leap for smarter government
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> Missions will deliver at one-third shuttle's cost
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> Matt Reed - Florida Today (Commentary)
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> If you love U.S. spaceflight but shudder at the cost, Wednesday's launch of an Orbital Sciences rocket to supply to the International Space Station should make you feel good. Although a small step for America's space program, the smooth-as-silk launch from Virginia represented part of a giant leap for NASA contracting and free enterprise. Brevard's "home team," SpaceX, represents the other part, having successfully launched twice from Cape Canaveral. For $800 million — roughly the cost of one space shuttle launch in its final years — NASA paid the two companies to research, build and launch two new rocket systems capable of delivering food and gear to the orbiting station. Cargo was top priority, post-shuttle.
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> COMPLETE STORIES
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> Orbital launches cargo ship on maiden flight to station
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> Cygnus spacecraft powered up, operating normally
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> William Harwood - CBS News
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> In a critical test flight for NASA's space station program, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket making only its second flight blasted off from the Virginia coast Wednesday, lofting an unmanned cargo ship on its maiden flight to the international lab complex.
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> The demonstration mission is a critical test run for Orbital to prove the company's new rocket and Cygnus cargo ship can execute an autonomous rendezvous with the space station and, if necessary, carry out an abort if something goes wrong.
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> If the four-day trip to the station is successful, Orbital will be clear to begin routine cargo delivery missions later this year, joining Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in a commercial program intended to make up for the retirement of the space shuttle.
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> Using recycled engines originally built for Russia's moon program, the Antares first stage roared to life at 10:58 a.m. EDT (GMT-4), quickly pushing the 133-toot-tall rocket away from its launching stand at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Island, Va., flight facility.
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> Burning kerosene and liquid oxygen, the refurbished Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ-26 engines fired for nearly four minutes, boosting the rocket out of the dense lower atmosphere and into the orbital plane of the space station.
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> Dramatic television views from a camera mounted on the rocket showed the Virginia coastline receding in the background and then the limb of the Earth as the spacecraft accelerated toward orbit. A few moments later, the spent first stage could be seen falling away.
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> The Antares second stage, powered by an Alliant Techsystems solid-fuel motor, then took over, igniting at an altitude of about 116 miles and firing for two-and-a-half minutes to put the spacecraft into an initial orbit with a high point, or apogee, of about 180 miles and a low point, or perigee, of around 160 miles.
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> A few moments later, the cargo ship was released from the spent second stage motor and its two solar panels unfolded as planned.
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> Frank Culbertson, a former shuttle commander and Orbital vice president, said telemetry showed the Cygnus was healthy, its solar arrays were pointed at the sun and its computers and guidance systems were operating normally.
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> "This is a very exciting day for us and as you can imagine, there are a lot of happy people in the control center, a lot of happy people all over the Orbital campuses and a lof of people here at Wallops are smiling," he said.
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> "The spacecraft is working really well right now. ... The solar arrays have deployed, we're getting good power from them, the (propulsion) system has activated, we're getting good, stable control of the spacecraft and (it's) getting ready to execute the maneuvers that will take it to the International Space Station in about four days."
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> If all goes well, the Cygnus will approach the station from behind and below, pulling up to the outpost in stages as flight controllers test communications links, check out the spacecraft's GPS navigation system and test abort procedures before clearing the ship for final approach to the station.
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> Assuming no major problems develop, the spacecraft will pull up to within about 30 feet of the lab complex around 7:15 a.m. Sunday.
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> Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, operating the station's robot arm, will lock onto a grapple fixture and the spacecraft will be pulled in for berthing at the Earth-facing port of the forward Harmony module. A similar berthing technique is used to attach SpaceX Dragon capsules and Japanese HTV cargo ships.
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> "It's a new vehicle and you ... have to expect that something could go wrong and you have to be ready for all scenarios," space station flight engineer Karen Nyberg told The Associated Press.
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> "But we're expecting it to be very similar to what we did (to berth) the HTV (in August) and we're actually really, really excited about it and looking forward to it."
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> For the demonstration flight, the Cygnus is carrying about 1,500 pounds of food, clothing and other non-critical supplies and equipment.
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> The demonstration flight is the final requirement in a $288 million contract with NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program, which funded development of two commercial cargo carriers to take over U.S. space station logistics in the wake of the space shuttle's retirement.
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> Assuming no major problems develop, Orbital Sciences will press ahead with operational space station resupply flights under a separate contract calling for delivery of 40,000 pounds of cargo over at least eight missions.
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> "We'll be attached to the station for approximately 30 days, and then 47 days after deorbit, we expect to launch ORB-1, as we call it, our first contract mission," said Culbertson. ""So we are deep in preparation for that one already and going through the testing required."
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> SpaceX holds a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to provide 12 cargo flights to the station for delivery of more than 44,000 pounds of equipment and supplies. A separate $396 million contract covered initial test and demonstration flights.
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> SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket with a dummy payload in 2010. The company then launched two test flights, sending company-built Dragon cargo ships to the station, and two operational resupply missions, the most recent flight in March.
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> Orbital Sciences tested its new Antares rocket last April, successfully launching a dummy payload and setting the stage for this weeks debut of the Cygnus cargo ship.
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> "It's time for us really to start having flights on a regular basis and expect that the next one will be there," said space station Program Manager Mike Suffredini. "So I'm looking at this next year, 2014, to be the year where we really settle in, where we have regular orbital flights and regular SpaceX flights and that we actually see them within a few weeks of when we expect to have them there.
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> "And that's important because (we need) to reduce the amount of up mass we have for logistics, which we can do if we have a consistent supply chain, and really fill these vehicles up with research. That's the big transition we have to make in the next year now that we have Orbital flying as well."
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> 2nd private company rockets toward space station
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> Marcia Dunn - Associated Press
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> A commercial cargo ship made its successful debut Wednesday, rocketing toward the International Space Station and doubling the number of NASA's private suppliers for the high-flying lab.
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its first-ever supply ship from Virginia's Eastern Shore, the departing point for a NASA moonshot less than two weeks ago.
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> "Look out ISS, here we come," the company said in a tweet.
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> The capsule named Cygnus - bearing 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and goodies for the astronauts - is due at the orbiting outpost on Sunday, following four days of testing.
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> The Virginia-based Orbital Sciences is only the second business to attempt a shipment like this. The California-based SpaceX company has been delivering station supplies for more than a year under a NASA contract.
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> "If you needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now in Virginia," NASA associate administrator Robert Lightfoot said at a post-launch news conference.
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> Orbital Sciences' unmanned Antares rocket - named for the bright red star - blasted into a clear sky from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. A test launch in April went well. So did this one, with a camera on the rocket providing dramatic views of the coastline. The entire commercial effort dates back five years.
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> It was Wallops' second high-profile launch this month. On Sept. 6, the company took part in a NASA moonshot that dazzled skywatchers along the East Coast. Wednesday's late-morning liftoff, while at a much more convenient hour, was not nearly as visible because of the daylight. The rocket exhaust plume, at least, was visible from Washington, D.C.
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> The three space station residents, circling 260 miles high, watched the launch via a live link provided by Mission Control in Houston.
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> "Great launch! Excited for Cygnus arrival on Sunday!" space station astronaut Karen Nyberg said in a tweet. She's expecting a fresh stash of chocolate.
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> Nyberg and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano will use the space station's robot arm to grab Cygnus from orbit and attach it to the space station. Also on board is a Russian. The crew will double in size next week when another American and two Russians lift off aboard a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan.
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> NASA is paying Orbital Sciences and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, to keep the space station stocked after the retirement of the shuttles. The other countries involved in the station also make deliveries.
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> The bigger SpaceX Dragon capsule, which is launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., has the advantage of returning items to Earth. It parachutes into the Pacific off the Southern California coast.
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> The Cygnus will be filled with station trash and cut loose for a fiery destruction upon re-entry, following a monthlong visit. That's how the Russian, European and Japanese supply ships wind up, too - as incinerators.
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> "We categorize it as disposable cargo," said Orbital Sciences' executive vice president, Frank Culbertson. "Others may call it trash."
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> If all goes well, Orbital Sciences hopes to launch another Cygnus in December with about 2,800 pounds of supplies. That will be the first true operational mission under a $1.9 billion contract.
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> The SpaceX contract is worth $1.6 billion.
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> SpaceX is working to modify its Dragon capsule for space station crews, so NASA doesn't have to keep paying tens of millions of dollars to the Russians per ticket. Orbital Sciences envisions strictly non-human payloads for the Cygnus - but not necessarily just in Earth's backyard.
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> "We'd be happy to help a mission go to Mars," said Culbertson, a former astronaut who lived on the space station in 2001.
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> The capsule was named in honor of G. David Low, a former astronaut and Orbital Sciences executive who died in 2008. He flew on three shuttle missions but not to the space station. This was a way for Low to get there after all these years, Culbertson said after the launch.
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> Orbital Sciences' new cargo ship blasts off for space station
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> Irene Klotz - Reuters
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> An unmanned Antares rocket blasted off from a seaside launch pad in Virginia on Wednesday, sending a cargo capsule to the International Space Station.
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> The 13-story rocket, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., lifted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT from the state-owned Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island.
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> The two-stage booster, making its second flight, soared southeast over the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a pillar of smoke and flame visible from New York City to South Carolina as it headed into orbit.
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> Perched on top of the rocket was Orbital Sciences' new Cygnus freighter, one of two robotic spaceships developed in partnership with NASA to fly cargo to the space station following the space shuttles' retirement.
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> On Sunday, the capsule was expected to reach the space station, a $100 billion research complex that flies about 250 miles above Earth.
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> "This is a very exciting day for us," Orbital Sciences executive vice president Frank Culbertson told reporters after launch.
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> "It's difficult to get a rocket off of a launch pad, no matter how many times you do it," he said.
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> Privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, which began work about 18 months before Orbital Sciences, has made three trips to the station.
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> NASA invested $686 million in Orbital Sciences and SpaceX and awarded the firms contracts totaling $3.5 billion to fly cargo to the station.
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> This mission is intended to show Orbital Sciences' ability to transport cargo to the space station. A successful flight may boost its chances for additional NASA work, and could attract commercial and scientific customers for the Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule.
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> "We have a lot interest from people who are waiting to make sure we do, in fact, succeed with this before they place a firm order," Culbertson said.
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> Cygnus capsules are not designed to return to Earth. Since they can stay in orbit for extended periods of time, Orbital Sciences envisions secondary missions after the capsules depart the station, as well as dedicated flights for customers besides NASA.
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> On Wednesday, the rocket placed the Cygnus capsule, loaded with about 1,543 pounds (700 kg) of food, clothing and other supplies, into orbit about 170 miles above Earth.
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> The spacecraft then unfurled its solar panel wings. Data relayed from the Cygnus showed its computers and positioning system were operating as expected.
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> Over the next four days, the capsule will demonstrate its ability to maneuver in space and communicate with the station.
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> If all goes as planned, NASA would clear Orbital Sciences to maneuver Cygnus as close as about 30 feet from the station on Sunday.
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> Astronauts aboard the space station would use a robotic crane to pluck the capsule from orbit and attach it to a berthing port.
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> Cygnus is expected to remain docked at the station until October 22. About two days later, it is expected to fire braking rockets to leave orbit and fall back into Earth's atmosphere, burning up in the process.
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> Antares Launches To ISS After Weather Worry
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> Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week
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> The second U.S. commercial cargo carrier launched this morning on its inaugural voyage to the International Space Station, clearing its new launch pad here after mission managers overcame a potential range safety issue.
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> Liftoff of the Orbital Science Corp. Antares launch vehicle, with its pressurized Cygnus cargo capsule on top, came at 10:58 a.m. EDT to start a four-day demonstration mission to the ISS. Orbital is working to join SpaceX as a NASA commercial cargo carrier.
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> Low clouds lay offshore of the seaside launch pad where the first Antares test flight lifted off in April, but a larger concern was a pressure inversion that posed a threat to four nearby houses. Had the rocket exploded early in ascent, there would have been a danger of the blast overpressure breaking windows. Four houses were evacuated to clear the range.
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> At ignition the rocket's two AJ26 kerosene-fueled engines – surplus Soviet-era power plants upgraded by Aerojet Rocketdyne – generated 720,000 lb. thrust and pushed the 13-story-tall rocket off the pad. At 3:53 into the flight the first stage shut down as planned, and separated 5 sec. later. The fairing dropped away at 5:20 mission elapsed time (MET) to expose the Italian-built Cygnus capsule and its service module, supplied by Orbital Sciences. The interstate followed 5 sec. later, and the solid-fuel ATK Castor 30 upper stage ignited at 5:29 MET for a 153-sec. burn.
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> Spacecraft separation came at 10:02 MET, leaving the Cygnus in an initial orbit of 151-by-186 mi., inclined 51.6 deg. to catch the space station. The vehicle will gradually maneuver toward the station over the next four days, demonstrating that it can be controlled safely before moving close enough to be grappled by station crew with the robotic arm and berthed to a common berthing mechanism.
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> Successful completion of the mission will clear Orbital to begin fulfilling its eight-flight, $1.9 billion commercial resupply service contract with NASA. The first of those flights is planned before the end of the year.
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> Antares Launch Sets Up Engine Search
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> Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. has enough hardware on hand for the 10 commercial cargo missions it has contracted with NASA, and is already looking ahead to the day when it runs out of the surplus Soviet-era Russian engines it uses to power its new Antares launch vehicle.
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> The Dulles, Va.-based company is on the way to completing its second NASA mission with the safe launch Wednesday of its second and final demonstration mission with the Antares, this one carrying pressurized cargo to the International Space Station in the first full-up Cygnus cargo vehicle to fly.
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> If all goes well, and the Cygnus is able to demonstrate safe handling before reaching the ISS on Sunday morning, Orbital will be ready as early as Dec. 8-21 to begin fulfilling its eight-flight, $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) to deliver bulk food, clothing and equipment to the station. The mission launched Wednesday completes the company's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) spacecraft-development agreement with NASA. It carries about 700 kg. of supplies, while early CRS flights will be able to handle as much as 2,000 kg of pressurized cargo, and an enhanced Cygnus would have a 2,700-kg capability.
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> Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president, told reporters here after the Sept. 18 launch that Aerojet has another 16 AJ-26 engines in stock beyond the 20 Orbital has under subcontract for its NASA COTS and CRS missions. Aerojet modified the surplus Russian Nk-33 engines for the Antares role, and Orbital hopes to use them to meet the launch services market originally carried by the Delta II medium-lift launch vehicle, in addition to the NASA contracts that expire in 2016.
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> Once the old Russian engines run out, Culbertson said, Orbital has plans to find a replacement that will enable it to continue flying Antares.
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> "We're looking at what the options are, who has engines that might be compatible and what's available and how long would it take to develop and/or order them," Culbertson said. "So we've got a very active effort going on."
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> That effort includes discussions with "everybody who says they make an engine," he said. "We know that sometime after 2016 we need to start looking at other alternatives."
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> Meanwhile, Orbital controllers were off to a good start on the COTS demonstration. Culbertson said the Antares placed the Cygnus in a 289-by-257-km orbit, slightly above targets. The solar arrays deployed and began providing electrical power, and all valves opened to pressurize the propulsion system that will be used to pursue the ISS, which was over the Indian Ocean at the 10:58 a.m. EDT liftoff from the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
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> After a series of thruster burns to raise the orbit toward the station, the controllers plan a demonstration of the Cygnus' ability to navigate using the Global Positioning System. Culbertson said the vehicle will approach the station and back away twice to demonstrate safe handling before going into the final "R-bar" approach from directly below it. The vehicle is scheduled to hold itself autonomously at a range of 250 meters before moving in close enough for station crewmembers working in the cupola to grapple it with the robotic arm and attach it to the nadir common berthing mechanism on Node 2.
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> The crew will open the hatch, unload the cargo and begin filling the vehicle with trash and unneeded gear that will ride to a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific east of New Zealand after about a month at the station.
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> Successful launch for Antares rocket; Cygnus on way to space station
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> Joel Achenbach - Washington Post
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> It's not that big of a rocket, really, and the cargo in the spacecraft is relatively mundane — about 1,500 pounds of clothes, food, water, chocolate for the chocolate-craving astronauts, and so on. But the rocket that blasted off at 10:58 a.m. Wednesday from a small island on the Virginia coast is carrying a heavy burden of expectations.
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> Dulles-based Orbital Sciences launched its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket on a supply mission to the international space station, and a great many people at NASA and in the broader space community were watching.
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> "Go Antares. Go Cygnus," a flight controller said just moments before ignition of the unmanned rocket on a splendid day at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, where gentle ocean waves were hitting the beach a stone's throw from the launch pad.
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> The launch was by the book. A few minutes into the flight, Orbital tweeted: "Pressures remain strong. Our favorite word 'nominal.' "
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> This is a "demonstration" mission to prove that Orbital has the hardware and know-how to send cargo to the station, a feat that requires autonomous docking and other delicate orbital maneuvers. The Cygnus spacecraft will reach the space station in a few days and remain docked until late October. It is not a reusable spacecraft, so when it leaves orbit, it will crash into the South Pacific.
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> A successful mission for Orbital would greatly please NASA officials, who would like to have more options for supplying the orbital laboratory.
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> Another company, SpaceX, has flown three cargo missions to the station and has a $1.6 billion contract for a dozen deliveries in the coming years. But NASA doesn't want to rely on just one provider of such a critical service. The continued operation of the space station requires regular and dependable delivery of "upmass," in space industry jargon. Orbital has a $1.9 billion contract for eight cargo missions to the station over four years, with the first launch scheduled for December.
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> First, though, it has to get through this final demonstration mission, which is part of a separate agreement with NASA.
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> "A lot of people have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it," said Frank L. Culbertson, an Orbital executive vice president and former astronaut.
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> Culbertson said Orbital has potential customers waiting to see how this launch turns out. The 135-foot-tall Antares rocket made a successful test flight earlier this year. Although Orbital has a long track record of successful launches, this is the company's first liquid-fueled rocket.
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> "You're always nervous about the first two launches of any new system," Culbertson said before Wednesday's launch.
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> At the moment, U.S. astronauts commute to the space station solely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Orbital was not selected as a finalist in the competition to carry crew to orbit. Three companies — SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada — are hoping to win that contract, and NASA hopes to have American astronauts launched on American rockets by 2017.
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> Hovering over the industry is the unresolved question of space-station funding. NASA and its international partners have agreed to fund the station through 2020. NASA and the commercial spaceflight companies would like to see the life of the station extended. A NASA official said last week that a decision on whether to extend the station should be made no later than 2014, so that the private sector will have confidence in the vitality of that market and will keep making investments in future space operations.
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> NASA's long-term goal is to help the commercial spaceflight industry take over the relatively routine missions to Low Earth Orbit. These "commercial" contracts are unlike traditional government contracts. The private companies offer a fixed price for their services and assume more risk and engineering responsibility. The idea is to let NASA focus on complex deep-space missions while also continuing to contribute to the operation of the space station.
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> Orbital Sciences launches capsule to International Space Station
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> W.J. Hennigan - Los Angeles Times
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> A commercially built spacecraft packed with cargo is now hurtling at 17,500 mph through outer space on course to rendezvous with the International Space Station.
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> The capsule was launched Wednesday atop a 13-story rocket off the coast of Virginia at 7:58 a.m. PDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.
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> The two-stage Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., are part of a demonstration resupply mission for NASA.
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> The spacecraft will deliver about 1,500 pounds of cargo, including food and clothing, to the space station's Expedition 37 crew, who will grapple and attach the capsule using the orbiting outpost's robotic arm as early as Sunday.
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> "We are very pleased with the early operations of the COTS demonstration mission, beginning with another on-the-mark launch by Antares," Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson said in a statement. "The Cygnus spacecraft appears to be fully healthy and operating as expected during this early phase of its mission."
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> It is the Dulles, Va., company's first trip to the space station. Orbital needs to prove to NASA that it can begin fulfilling a $1.9-billion contract for eight flights to transport cargo to the space station in coming years.
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> The test is another crucial step in NASA's plan to privatize space missions. Now that the space shuttle fleet has been retired, NASA is eager to give private industry the job of carrying cargo and crew members, in hopes of cutting costs.
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> Meanwhile, the space agency will focus on deep-space missions to land probes on asteroids and Mars.
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> On Wednesday, it was a picture-perfect launch from Wallops with the Atlantic Ocean lapping against the shoreline in the near distance. The event was webcast on NASA TV.
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> After 10 minutes, the Cygnus spacecraft had separated from Antares' upper stage and entered its intended orbit. The capsule later deployed its solar arrays to provide it with the electrical power needed to command the spacecraft.
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> The current test is to demonstrate Cygnus' cargo transportation system to reliably deliver cargo to the space station. It could lead to regularly scheduled missions beginning as early as December.
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> Cygnus will carry out a series of tests and maneuvers over a four-day period to demonstrate its readiness to dock with the station. Rendezvous is now planned for Sunday. It will also be webcast on NASA TV.
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> The capsule is set to remain attached to the space station for 30 days before departing with up to 1,750 pounds of disposal cargo.
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> If successful, Orbital will be the second commercial company to ever dock at the station.
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> The other company, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., has resupplied the space station in two missions. The Hawthorne firm, better known as SpaceX, most recently pulled off the feat in March.
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> Orbital Sciences Launches Cargo Capsule for Space Station
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> Company Hopes to Become Second Commercial Entity to Supply Orbiting Lab.
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> Andy Pasztor - Wall Street Journal
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. launched an unmanned capsule on its maiden voyage to the international space station, hoping to become the second commercial entity to transport cargo to the orbiting laboratory.
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> The 40-meter Antares rocket, which blasted off without a hitch Wednesday morning from Wallops Island off the Virginia coast, carried the company's Cygnus cargo vehicle, filled with about 680 kilograms of food and other supplies. The mission is intended to demonstrate the capsule's ability to communicate, maneuver and safely link up with the station.
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> If all goes well, Cygnus will arrive Sunday, remain docked for a month and then fire its rockets to break away from the space station and burn up as the capsule falls through the atmosphere.
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> The goal is for Orbital Sciences, based in Dulles, Va., to begin regular cargo deliveries to the station as early as December, under a $1.9 billion contract with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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> NASA's drive to outsource such resupply missions already has scored some early successes. Closely held Space Explorations Technologies Corp. of Hawthorne, Calif., last year became the first company to conduct commercial-cargo flights into orbit. SpaceX, as it is called, has garnered world-wide attention for pioneering private deliveries of supplies into space. It now is focused on launching a more powerful booster and developing commercial taxis able to shuttle U.S. astronauts to and from the space station.
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> For Orbital, which has hit snags with slipped deadlines, budget overruns and years of technical problems, Wednesday's blastoff is the culmination of a more than $500 million bet on commercial cargo service. Private and public investment in the Antares rocket, the capsule and the Virginia launch complex has topped $1 billion.
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> In addition to building a two-stage launcher using legacy technology that relies on both liquid and solid fuel, Orbital developed the Cygnus capsule as an expendable vehicle with other potential uses besides serving the space station.
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> "Orbital's extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space," said NASA chief Charles Bolden Jr. A major test, however, will be whether Orbital is able to maintain the ambitious launch schedule NASA envisions.
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> Beyond staking Orbital Sciences' reputation and lucrative NASA contract on Wednesday's demonstration flight, David Thompson, the company's chairman and chief executive, has described Antares and its capsule as a catalyst to help transform the company and position it for sustained growth despite shrinking Pentagon space budgets. Mr. Thompson and his team are betting that changes in commercial and civilian satellite projects will allow Antares and Cygnus to take advantage of new markets. A capsule, among other things, could remain in orbit and carry out other missions after leaving the space station.
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> Best known for focusing on smaller satellites and less-powerful rockets, Orbital Sciences also hopes eventually to become one of the leading global players in building and launching midsize satellites for commercial, military and scientific uses.
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> The stakes also are high for NASA, which seeks to build on Wednesday's flight to create an alternative space-transportation system partly by using the recently completed East Coast launch complex. NASA aims to outsource transportation into low-earth orbit to husband its resources for more-ambitious robotic and manned missions into deeper space.
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> Orbital Sciences had a successful test launch of the rocket earlier this year. Cargo missions using its capsule had been supposed to begin in 2011.
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> Orbital Sciences executives said both of the rocket's stages operated as designed. The main booster shut off at an altitude of about 180 kilometers. Cygnus subsequently separated from the second stage as planned, and the capsule's solar arrays deployed as expected.
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> The launch prompted loud cheers and clapping in the control room monitoring the rocket's trajectory and systems. A second control room kept track of the capsule.
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> Antares off; Cygnus to berth with ISS Sunday
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> Crew will use robotic arm to capture craft
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> Tamara Dietrich - Hampton Roads Daily Press
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> The Antares rocket burst from the launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on the Eastern Shore Wednesday morning in a milestone effort to prove it can boost a new commercial cargo spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station.
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> The launch was delayed one day from its scheduled launch Tuesday by a bad communications cable, but officials at NASA and rocket-maker Orbital Sciences Corp. said afterward it was worth the wait.
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> "It operated flawlessly," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, told reporters. "This is another historic day for space flight."
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> If Virginia-based Orbital succeeds in berthing its new Cygnus cargo craft with the space station as scheduled early Sunday, it will become only the second commercial company in the world to do so, after California-based SpaceX made history by ferrying payload to and from the station a year ago.
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> "If we need tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration," said NASA associate administrator Robert M. Lightfoot Jr., "this is here, right now."
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> The Antares launched at 10:58 a.m. as the public watched from the NASA Visitor Center on Wallops Island and dozens of media from around the U.S. and Europe documented it.
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> The Cygnus, carrying 1,300 pounds of clothes, food, tools and other non-essentials, is the heaviest commercial cargo ever to launch into orbit, said Frank Culbertson, Orbital's executive vice president.
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> Orbital designed and built the Antares and Cygnus under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. Under COTS, NASA grants contracts and technical expertise to commercial companies to develop ways to transport space cargo, freeing up NASA to focus on human exploration of deep space.
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> "This is the way of the future," Culbertson said. "This is the way we're going to have to operate going forward in order to have a robust space program."
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> The launch is only the first step. Over the next several days, he said, Orbital will put the Cygnus through its paces, testing its systems and capabilities "so we can start chasing the International Space Station. Then fly below (it) when we catch up with it."
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> From there, the station crew will use a robotic arm to capture the craft, then begin installing the capsule on the bottom side of the station's Harmony module.
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> It's scheduled to begin a return trip toward the end of October carrying waste from the station to make a "destructive entry" so nearly all its payload will burn up in the atmosphere.
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> Orbital and SpaceX won competitive Commercial Resupply Services contracts with NASA to ferry supplies and equipment to the space station and offload its waste or other payload.
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> Orbital's contract is for a $1.9 billion to make eight resupply missions, hauling 20 tons of cargo on each trip.
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> Want to watch?
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> For NASA Television coverage of Sunday's docking of the Cygnus spacecraft at the International Space Station, go to http://www.nasa.gov/ntv Coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m.
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> The capture is scheduled for about 7:17 a.m., while installing the capsule is set to begin around 9 a.m.
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> Privately run spacecraft en route to ISS docking
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> Orbital Science cargo ship must pass tests first
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> James Dean - Florida Today
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>
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> A new U.S. cargo ship is chasing down the International Space Station after a successful launch of its maiden flight Wednesday morning from Virginia's Eastern Shore.
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> Orbital Sciences Corp.'s unmanned Cygnus is on course to reach the outpost early Sunday and become the second privately operated vehicle to accomplish that feat, along with SpaceX's Dragon capsule, which launches from Cape Canaveral.
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> "This is the way of the future," said Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president.
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> "This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in order to maintain a robust space program, and I think we're demonstrating it can be done."
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> The demonstration mission is the final step in a public-private partnership under which NASA has helped Orbital and SpaceX develop rockets and spacecraft to resupply the station after the space shuttle's retirement.
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> The space agency provided advice and a combined $684 million to the two companies, including up to $288 million for Dulles, Va.-based Orbital.
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> Orbital's 13-story Antares rocket blasted off at 10:58 a.m. from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island to start what NASA called a picture-perfect flight.
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> The rocket dropped Cygnus in orbit 10 minutes later, and the spacecraft quickly deployed its power-generating solar arrays and activated thrusters and navigation systems.
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> "The status is all great," said Culbertson.
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> Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, said Wednesday's launch represented "another historic day for commercial spaceflight" while cautioning that many challenges lay ahead.
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> "There's still a lot to be done," he said.
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> The nearly 17-foot Cygnus over the next several days must pass tests of its maneuvering and communications systems while raising its orbit and catching up to the station 260 miles above Earth.
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> Only then will NASA be comfortable it is safe to approach the station and its three-person crew.
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> Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, assisted by American Karen Nyberg, plans to capture the cylindrical Cygnus with a robotic arm around 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
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> During its monthlong stay, the crew will unload 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and other cargo NASA could afford to lose if the mission went badly, and then stuff it with trash.
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> The Cygnus and its contents will be destroyed upon re-entering the atmosphere.
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> Orbital hopes to launch another Cygnus as soon as December, the first of eight resupply missions planned under a $1.9 billion contract NASA awarded in 2008.
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> "We'll be ready to go before the end of the year to deliver again," said Culbertson.
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> NASA says the commercial cargo missions are key to enabling it to focus on more challenging human missions deeper into space, possibly starting with an asteroid in 2021.
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> "If we needed more tangible proof (that) this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now," said Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot.
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> New private rocket launches to space station
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>
> Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel
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>
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> A U.S. spacecraft carrying about 1,300 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station reached orbit Wednesday morning after a trouble-free launch — marking the start of a new chapter in NASA's effort to outsource routine missions to the private sector.
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> The two-stage Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences of Virginia blasted off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 10:58 a.m. carrying a cargo capsule expected to rendezvous with the station Sunday. Less than an hour after liftoff, the Cygnus spacecraft deployed its solar arrays — an indication the launch went well.
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> "Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.
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> The capsule, also developed by Orbital Sciences, will perform a series of tests in its four-day journey to the station, about 230 miles above Earth. When it gets close enough, astronauts will snag the 17-foot capsule with a robotic arm and reel it in.
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> On board are supplies, such as food and clothing, for the station crew. Only three astronauts now are staffing the observatory — half the usual crew size. Three more astronauts are expected to arrive later this month with the planned launch of a Russian spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
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> Unlike some other spacecraft, Cygnus isn't designed to return to Earth. Plans call for Cygnus to remain at the station for more than a month. After being filled with trash, it will detach and burn up in the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean.
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> The successful launch of Antares and Cygnus is critical to NASA's long-range plans to supply the station. Orbital is one of two U.S. companies given contracts by NASA to build spacecraft capable of ferrying cargo to the orbiting platform.
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> The first, SpaceX of California, made history last year as the first commercial company to deliver supplies for the station crew. Orbital is trying to repeat the feat.
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> Since NASA retired the space shuttle in 2011, it has been forced to rely on others to deliver crew and cargo to the $100 billion observatory. Russia remains the only nation trusted to ferry U.S. astronauts to the station — but NASA is counting on U.S. companies to ultimately fill that gap.
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> SpaceX now is operating under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for 12 cargo-resupply missions; the third of these will fly in a few months. A successful mission by Orbital Sciences will set the stage for the company to begin its eight-flight, $1.9 billion contract.
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> "There is clearly still a lot of work in front of us, but the mission looks like it is off to a great start," said David Thompson, Orbital's president and CEO.
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> The Antares flight was the second major U.S. launch Wednesday. At 4:10 a.m., an Atlas V rocket flew from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with a communications payload for the Air Force.
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> Cygnus cargo ship flies for first time, heading for space station
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> Alan Boyle - NBCNews.com
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> A new kind of commercial spaceship took to the air for the first time, with the launch of Orbital Sciences Corp's Cygnus cargo craft toward the International Space Station from a Virginia launch pad on Wednesday.
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> Orbital's two-stage Antares rocket lifted off at 10:58 a.m. ET from Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's seaside Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ascent could theoretically be seen from a swath of the East Coast stretching from New York to the Carolinas, although partly cloudy skies at the launch pad reduced visibility.
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>
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> The unmanned Cygnus capsule rode atop the Antares rocket into outer space, bringing about 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms) of supplies to the orbital outpost. But the main objective of this mission is to demonstrate Cygnus' capabilities, clearing the way for Orbital to start resupplying the space station in earnest under the terms of a $1.9 billion, eight-flight contract with NASA.
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> "This is the way of the future," Frank Culbertson, a former astronaut who now serves as Orbital's executive vice president, told reporters at a post-launch news conference. "This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in order to maintain a robust space program."
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>
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> Only a few hiccups came to light during the countdown: Monitors had to check on houses near the launch pad when weather projections suggested that a launch blow-up might pose a risk of blowing out windows. "We had to work that pretty hard, right up to the end," Culbertson said. In a worst-case scenario, houses might have had to have been evacuated, but everything turned out fine.
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> The nearly flawless launch put the Cygnus craft just a mile or two from its target orbit, traveling at 17,500 mph (28,000 kilometers per hour) and closing in on the space station.
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> It didn't take long for the kudos to come in from NASA:
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> · "If you needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now in Virginia," NASA associate administrator Robert Lightfoot told reporters at a post-launch news conference.
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> · "This is another historic day for commercial spaceflight, a very proud day for NASA, and an amazing accomplishment for our partner, Orbital Sciences," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, added in.
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> · "Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.
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> Virginia-based Orbital was selected in 2008 to join California-based SpaceX as a carrier of cargo for the space station in the wake of the space shuttle fleet's retirement. SpaceX has a separate $1.6 billion resupply contract, and has already sent three of its Dragon cargo capsules to the space station and back.
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> This week's Antares launch follows up on an earlier orbital demonstration mission in April. For that mission, the two-stage Antares merely launched a dummy capsule that simulated the cylindrical Cygnus' shape and heft. Thus, this mission marks the Cygnus' first honest-to-goodness flight to orbit.
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> Cygnus is due to rendezvous with the space station on Sept. 22. Astronauts will use the station's Canadian-built robotic arm to grab onto the cylindrical, car-sized craft and pull it in for its berthing onto the station's Harmony module. "We're waiting for you Sunday with (ahem) open arm!" the Canadian Space Agency tweeted after Wednesday's launch.
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> After the cargo is unloaded, the crew will stow trash aboard the capsule. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon, Orbital's cargo craft is not designed to return to Earth. About a month after its arrival, the Cygnus will be set loose and guided through atmospheric re-entry to its fiery doom over the South Pacific.
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>
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> The next window of opportunity for a space station resupply mission comes in the December-January time frame, but Lindenmoyer said NASA hasn't yet decided whether Orbital or SpaceX will take that spot. The space agency will wait at least until after the Cygnus makes its re-entry to choose between the competitors — a situation that might have been hard to imagine during the space shuttle era.
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> "Planning the traffic to the space station is quite a busy job," Lindenmoyer said. "There are a lot of vehicles coming and going to the space station nowadays."
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> Cygnus on way to station, Orbital Sciences on way to collecting from NASA
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> Dan Leone - Space News
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>
>
> Orbital Sciences Corp. on Sept. 18 blasted its Cygnus cargo capsule toward the international space station (ISS) aboard the Antares rocket, marking the start of a demonstration delivery mission that, if successful, will clear the way for the Dulles, Va., company to start collecting on a $1.9 billion NASA contract.
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>
>
> In its maiden flight to space, Cygnus separated cleanly from the second stage of Antares — which has now flown twice, counting a demo launch in April — at about 11:08 a.m. EDT, 10 minutes after liftoff from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a state-operated facility at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility here.
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> Scheduled to arrive at ISS on Sept. 22, Cygnus will spend 30 days aloft at the orbital outpost. When its mission is over, the expendable craft will detach from the station, re-enter the atmosphere and burn up over the Pacific Ocean.
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>
> Should Orbital complete the demonstration mission successfully, it will be clear to begin the eight cargo delivery flights it needs to complete to collect the rest of the revenue due to it under the Commercial Resupply Services contract it signed with NASA in 2008. Some $622 million of that was on Orbital's books as of October 2012, according to a June 13 report from the NASA inspector general. The rest can be collected only after Orbital completes its deliveries.
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>
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> In addition, a successful Cygnus debut will mean NASA will have realized a goal it set for itself in 2006, when it began distributing seed money for commercially operated systems to replace the space shuttle's cargo-carrying capacity.
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>
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> Following competition for bigger contracts, Orbital and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) eventually emerged as NASA's candidates for the job. SpaceX, after completing its own demonstration cargo run in 2012, has now flown two contract cargo runs to ISS under its 12-flight, $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services Contract.
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>
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> NASA will need another cargo run sometime around December or January, and while it is not certain whether the agency will call on SpaceX or Orbital, NASA's Michael Suffredini, manager of the ISS program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in a prelaunch press conference earlier this month that Orbital is the likelier candidate — SpaceX, busy preparing for the debut of its new Falcon 9 1.1 rocket at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, may not be ready to fly another cargo mission from Florida in time, Suffredini said.
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>
>
> Also to be resolved is the status of NASA's Commercial Cargo Program after 2016, the year Orbital and SpaceX's delivery contracts expire. The agency has not yet announced when it might solicit bids for follow-on deliveries, but ISS will be operational until at least 2020, and NASA wants to fly even longer.
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> Still, the agency has not said when, or how, it would buy additional cargo deliveries. However, NASA appeared to leave itself room to meet some — if not all— of its cargo needs via the Commercial Crew Program it is putting together to resume astronaut launches from U.S. soil in the post-shuttle era.
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> In draft request for proposals NASA put together for Commercial Crew, the agency said it wanted to order astronaut taxi flights via task orders, which might also be used to book space for cargo.
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> Cygnus spaceship thunders away on shakedown cruise
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>
> Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com
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>
>
> A privately-owned spaceship built by Orbital Sciences Corp. made an Earth-rattling trip into orbit from Virginia on Wednesday, starting a four-day chase of the International Space Station to close out a nearly $700 million NASA program to foster a fleet of commercial spaceships to replace capabilities lost with the space shuttle's retirement.
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> The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft, fitted with an Italian-built pressurized cargo carrier, blasted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT) aboard an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va.
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> The Antares rocket, emitting a tongue of orange exhaust and a crackling roar, gracefully soared above its launch pad and pitched over to fly southeast from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, leaving a twisting trail of smoke hanging in the morning sun as the 13-story rocket sped into space.
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> The launcher's AJ26 engines, leftovers from Russia's ill-fated moon program of the 1960s, accelerated the Antares rocket high into the stratosphere before consuming its supply of kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.
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> The first stage gave way to a Castor 30 solid-fueled motor built by ATK to inject the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit, then deployed the automated spaceship about 10 minutes after liftoff.
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> A few minutes later, the Cygnus extended two solar array wings built by Dutch Space in the Netherlands and pressurized its propulsion system for four days of engine burns on a shakedown cruise to the International Space Station.
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> "This was hard," said Frank Culbertson, vice president of advanced programs at Orbital Sciences. "It's difficult to get a rocket off the launch pad. There are a lot of things that have to come together no matter how many times you do it."
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>
> The launch replicated a feat Orbital Sciences accomplished in April, when it put the Antares through a test launch without a functioning payload. NASA and Orbital agreed to launch the Antares demo mission as a risk-reduction exercise.
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>
> The Cygnus spacecraft's next steps break into uncharted territory for Orbital Sciences, a firm with a vaunted history of rocket flights and satellite production, but with little experience in the day-to-day world of human spaceflight.
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> "This was just step one of the hard part," Culbertson said. "Step two is coming up as we begin the rendezvous and approach the space station."
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>
>
> The Cygnus test flight, operated by Orbital Sciences with objectives mandated by NASA, is the first of nine Orbital Sciences missions to the space station. The next eight sorties - the first is scheduled for December - are under a $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract between Orbital and NASA.
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>
>
> The ongoing demo mission is the last step in a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement signed between Orbital Sciences and the space agency in February 2008. The pact set up a public-private partnership in which NASA is funneling $288 million to Orbital to help fund the development of the Cygnus and Antares vehicles.
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>
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> Orbital Sciences says it put even more of its own capital into the programs. In April, Culbertson said design and development of the Cygnus cargo craft cost about $300 million, and the Antares launcher cost a little more, declining to give a specific figure.
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>
>
> Orbital was also a minority investor in the approximately $140 million Antares launch pad and integration hangar at Wallops Island.
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>
>
> Seeing a dearth of U.S. spacecraft capable of resupplying the space station after the space shuttle's retirement, NASA cinched agreements with Orbital Sciences and SpaceX to partially finance new commercial spacecraft and launchers to restore domestic access to the complex for cargo, reducing U.S. reliance on international spaceships.
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>
>
> NASA signed a deal with SpaceX in August 2006 and reached an agreement with Orbital in 2008. California-based SpaceX, founded and led by Internet and technology magnate Elon Musk, completed its COTS demonstration flight to the space station in May 2012. SpaceX has flown twice more to the space station, beginning work under a 12-mission, $1.6 billion resupply contract similar to Orbital's.
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> Orbital's full-up test flight comes more than a year after SpaceX's end-to-end demo mission, but Orbital officials are quick to point out SpaceX had an 18-month head start.
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> Ten demonstrations of the Cygnus vehicle's engines, computers and navigation systems are planned before the spacecraft's arrival at the space station Sunday.
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> Before NASA permits the resupply ship to approach the space station, engineers must prove the Cygnus can accurately maneuver, conduct an emergency abort, and use its GPS and laser navigation systems.
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> "We agreed to an end-to-end demonstration of their system," said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's COTS program. "Orbital is responsible for the entire mission from receiving our cargo from NASA, launching, delivering it on orbit, and then safely disposing of it with the re-entry of the vehicle."
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>
>
> The Cygnus will advance toward the space station from below, flying up from underneath and pausing at preset points before halting about 30 feet below the complex while European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano extends the outpost's robot arm to snag the free-floating spacecraft and place it on a berthing port for a month-long stay.
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> The spacecraft carries 1,543 pounds of food, office supplies, spare parts and student experiments, and astronauts will unpack that gear and replace it with trash for the Cygnus' departure and plunge back to Earth.
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> Cygnus carries supplies inside a 10-foot-diameter pressurized cargo module built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, which also manufactured logistics modules used by the space shuttle and the European Space Agency's ATV resupply craft.
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> Similar to European, Japanese and Russian supply ships - but unlike the returnable SpaceX Dragon spacecraft - the Cygnus will fall back into the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean and burn up during re-entry on Oct. 24.
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>
> NASA hails private Cygnus spacecraft 'picture perfect' 1st launch to station
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>
> Tariq Malik - Space.com
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>
>
> The mighty roar of a commercial rocket launching a brand-new private cargo ship on a stunning debut test flight from Virginia's Eastern shore Wednesday has NASA overjoyed and the spaceship's builder beaming with pride.
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>
>
> An Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched into orbit from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT), carrying the company's first robotic Cygnus spacecraft on a critical demonstration flight to the International Space Station.
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>
>
> "Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "Orbital's extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space."
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>
>
> "This is a very exciting day for us," Frank Culbertson, Orbital Sciences' executive vice president, told reporters after liftoff.
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>
>
> Alan Lindenmoyer, chief of NASA's commercial crew and cargo program, called the launch simply "historic."
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> "The teams came together on a beautiful day for a picture perfect launch of Antares," Lindenmoyer told reporters after the launch, which streaked into a clear blue Virginia sky. "We are certainly looking forward to the arrival of Cygnus Sunday morning."
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>
>
> So, is there Champagne and a party?
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>
>
> "Oh, there will probably be a couple," Culbertson said. "They worked really hard and they deserve some time off, and they deserve some celebration. In fact, I think there's a party going on right now that I'm missing."
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> Private spaceship party
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> Orbital Sciences has reason to celebrate.
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> The company has been developing the Cygnus spacecraft since 2008 and has a $1.9 billion contract to provide eight cargo delivery missions to the space station for NASA using the vehicle and the firm's Antares rockets. But first, Orbital has to prove the spaceflight system works.
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>
>
> That's the goal of this demonstration flight, called the ORB-D1 mission. Over the next four days, Orbital will tackle a series of 10 major tests to prove out the Cygnus vehicle's performance, and then pass the rendezvous test
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> Early Sunday, if all goes well, the Cygnus will fly itself within reach of the International Space Station's robotic arm; astronauts will use that arm to capture the spacecraft and attach it to a docking port.
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> The Cygnus spacecraft is a gleaming 17-foot-long (5 meters) cylinder that's built by Italy's Thales Alenia Space and powered by an Orbital-built service module. It can carry up to 4,409 pounds (2,000 kg), though this test flight is carrying only a partial load.
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>
>
> Orbital performed the first test launch of its Antares rocket in mid-April. The 13-story booster uses a liquid-fueled first stage powered by two Aerojet AJ26 engines originally developed for Russia's N-1 moon rocket, as well as a solid-fuel second stage built by Alliant Techsystems, which also built the twin solid rocket boosters for NASA's space shuttle fleet.
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> "This is hard," Culbertson said. "There are a lot of things that have to come together to get this rocket off the pad."
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>
> Cygnus' last moments on Earth
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>
>
> And there were some hurdles facing Wednesday's countdown to launch. About an hour before launch, Orbital pushed the target launch time back by eight minutes to allow time to address a minor glitch on the Antares rocket's first stage.
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>
>
> Then Orbital was tracking what it calls a "distance focus overpressure" concern, basically a safety rule that requires the company to make sure people around the launch site are safe from flying glass in the unlikely event of a major rocket malfunction that could blow out nearby windows. Orbital had to make sure people were not inside four homes, just to be sure, NASA officials said.
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> "Overpressure means it would be enough to shatter windows in a structure like a typical house. What they want to to do if they are inside that zone is to just go outside," Culbertson said. "I know it sounds silly, but they don't want them inside looking out the windows in that area."
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>
>
> Astronauts on the International Space Station were unable to see the launch from space (the station was over the Indian Ocean at the time), but the crew is clearly eager to see Cygnus arrive on Sunday.
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> "Congrats @OrbitalSciences — great launch!" NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg wrote in a Twitter message from the space station. "Excited for Cygnus arrival on Sunday!"
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>
> NASA's private spaceship plan
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>
>
> Orbital is flying its first Cygnus mission as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Service program, which awarded the firm $288 million in 2008 to kick-start spacecraft development. That program is separate from the Commercial Resupply Services effort, which oversees Orbital's $1.9 billion deal.
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>
>
> Orbital is actually one of two companies to develop and launch private unmanned cargo ships for NASA under those two programs. The California-based SpaceX, led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, is the other company. SpaceX has a $1.6 billion deal to provide 12 cargo flights to the space station for NASA using its own Falcon 9 rockets and unmanned Dragon space capsules.
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> So far, SpaceX has launched two of its contracted cargo missions to the space station. Dragon capsules are also equipped with a heat shield, so they can return cargo back to Earth at the end of their missions.
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>
> Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft, meanwhile, are disposable and burn up in Earth's atmosphere at the end of their missions. This first Cygnus is expected to spend about 30 days at the space station before undocking in October and burning up over the Pacific Ocean.
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>
>
> Orbital Sciences is the first entity to launch a space station flight from Wallops Island, Va. Its Antares rockets blast off from Pad 0A at the commercial Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located on NASA's Wallops Flight Facility grounds. The rocket and launch site give NASA a much-needed redundancy in access to space to keep the station supplied, agency officials said.
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>
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> "If we needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of space exploration it's right here, in Virginia," NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot said.
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> Orbital Sciences Launches Test Flight to Space Station
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> Jonathan Salant - Bloomberg News
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> Orbital Sciences Corp. (ORB) successfully launched a rocket in an attempt to send an unmanned commercial craft to the International Space Station.
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> The company's new Antares (ANT) rocket carrying the Cygnus capsule lifted off today at 10:58 a.m. from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The scheduled 36-day-long mission is the final test before Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital can make regular cargo deliveries under its $1.9 billion NASA contract.
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> Orbital's flight is its first attempt to fly to the space station, an orbiting research laboratory that conducts experiments in physics, meteorology, biology and other fields. In an earlier test, the company successfully launched a rocket and delivered a mock cargo ship into space.
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> "This is a final demonstration of their ability to do the mission," said John Logsdon, a professor emeritus and founder of George Washington University's Space Policy Institute.
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> If the mission is successful, Orbital could begin launching more capsules to the space station as early as December. The Cygnus capsule is designed to burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry.
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> Closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp., controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, last year became the first company to berth a private supply ship with the station.
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> Companies Supplying
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> NASA is counting on private companies such as Orbital and SpaceX to resupply the space station, a task formerly done by its own space shuttles. NASA retired the fleet in 2011.
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> SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft underwent two test flights before it began shuttling cargo to the space station. Orbital decided on one test flight because it has more experience in space, said Jeffrey Foust, a space and telecommunications analyst with Futron Corp. in Bethesda, Maryland.
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> "They're anxious to demonstrate Cygnus' capability so they can start commercial flights and the revenue that comes with doing those cargo flights," he said.
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> The first stage of the launch rocket is to separate four minutes after liftoff, and after the protective nosecone deploys, the second stage will fire. The stage will separate 10 minutes after liftoff and the spacecraft's systems will then be activated. During its four-day trip to the space station, Cygnus is scheduled to perform 10 demonstrations that test the spaceship's capabilities.
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> 4,400 Pounds
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> The Orbital spacecraft is expected to reach the station Sept. 22 with 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms) of cargo, less than one-third of its capacity. A robotic arm from the station will grab the capsule and glide it into the port. The spacecraft will remain for about 30 days.
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> When missions start for real, Cygnus initially will carry about 4,400 pounds of cargo, said Barron Beneski, an Orbital spokesman. For later flights, the spacecraft will be able to carry as much as 5,500 pounds, he said.
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> SpaceX, which has a $1.6 billion contract for 12 missions, has successfully completed two trips. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is designed to return to Earth and be reused, Cygnus will burn up in the atmosphere upon re-entry.
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> Dragon can be used to bring back experiments or equipment, while Cygnus will be used to ferry away trash, which will be incinerated along with the spacecraft, Foust said.
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> Antares Launch Marks Start of Orbital Sciences Space Station Missions
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> Wayne Rash -eWEEK.com
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> The sound rolled louder than thunder as the Antares rocket rose majestically from Virginia's Launch Complex 0A on Wallops Island at 10:58 a.m. Sept. 18. The Virginia-owned Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch facility was being used by Orbital Sciences to launch an Antares cargo launch vehicle to the International Space Station less than two weeks after the same launch facility launched a rocket to the moon.
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> The Antares launch vehicle carried a Cygnus spacecraft that was loaded with nearly 1,500 pounds of supplies for the Space Station. The spacecraft will first perform a number of maneuvers to demonstrate that it can approach the Space Station safely. Once that is accomplished, the spacecraft will fly in formation with the Space Station, which will then haul it to a docking port using a robotic arm. The docking maneuver will take place early Sept. 22.
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> The successful launch from Wallops Island marked almost exactly 50 years from the date of the first launch of a spacecraft into orbit from the facility. It was also the heaviest payload for a resupply mission, according to NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, who was present for the launch.
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> The launch went off, in Lightfoot's words, "Optimally." While there were some minor glitches, such as a balky video camera and a power cable that needed replacement over the previous weekend, the actual launch was essentially perfect. According to Orbital Sciences Executive Vice President Frank Culbertson, the launch was as close to perfect as it was possible to get. "It did end up a couple of kilometers higher than we'd planned," he said at the post-launch press conference. "But that's not a problem," he said.
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> Antares is a traditional liquid fueled rocket powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene. It boosts a solid-fuel powered second stage that inserts the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. The Antares/Cygnus mission is part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) in which private companies provide launch services to the Space Station. The only other company launching COTS payloads is California-based Space-X, which successfully launched a Dragon spacecraft to the Space Station in 2012.
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> Prior to the successful launch of these privately-developed space vehicles, NASA had to rely entirely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to resupply the Space Station after NASA retired the last of the venerable Space Shuttles in July 2011.
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> The Sept. 18 launch is the first in what are currently planned to be ten launches by Orbital Sciences. The next Space Station resupply launch is planned for December. Wallops Island is expecting to see at least one commercial launch every month for the foreseeable future.
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> Currently, Orbital is the only company using the Virginia-owned facility. NASA owns its own launch pads that are adjacent to Pad 0A, and maintains a frequent series of its own launches from those.
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> Launch pads 0A and 0B were built by Virginia and placed into operation in 2006. Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell told eWEEK in an interview that the state sees space transportation as critical to Virginia's business environment. Because of this the state has established a number of tax incentives for businesses that use the spaceport. McDonnell said that the Wallops Island facility is the responsibility of the Virginia Department of Transportation.
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> Shortly after launch, the rocket gathered speed, and then blasted its way into the upper atmosphere. The first stage separated about five minutes after launch. It coasted briefly while the first stage fell away, then the second stage fired launching the Cygnus spacecraft the rest of the way into orbit. The Cygnus spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle 20 minutes after launch, at which point it was already in orbit. Three minutes later the Cygnus deployed its solar arrays and began its independent operations.
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> The spacecraft carried food, clothing and other supplies to Space Station astronauts. In addition, Cygnus carried seven student experiments, the culmination of the work of nearly 7,000 students in various grades.
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> Once the spacecraft docks with the Space Station, astronauts will unload the cargo and experiments. Included are some personal items from the Astronauts' families and some mission patches and stickers from Orbital Sciences. "We hope Space-X will bring them back for us," Culbertson joked.
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> The launch of Antares and Cygnus was the final step in approving the Orbital spacecraft for commercial use in making supply runs to the Space Station. Once this mission is complete, "There's nothing else standing in the way," said Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's commercial crew and cargo manager.
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> After the Space Station astronauts unload the Cygnus spacecraft, they will then begin filling it with trash. Once it's filled, the spacecraft will be sent back to Earth to burn up over the Indian Ocean. Orbital's Cygnus is designed to be disposable, unlike the reusable Dragon spacecraft flown by Space-X. During a post-launch press conference Culbertson noted that the spacecraft developed by the two companies are designed for different purposes, with Cygnus able to handle more cargo, but not being able to land back on the earth.
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> The next launch from Wallops Island will be an Orbital Sciences Minotaur I rocket in November. The Minotaur I rocket is similar to the Minotaur V rocket used for the recent lunar launch also at Wallops Island.
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> Antares Picture Perfect Blastoff Launches Commercial Space Race
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> Ken Kremer - Universe Today
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> The new 'Commercial Space Era' received a resounding boost today when a privately developed Antares rocket lofting the first ever Cygnus commercial cargo resupply craft thundered to space from America's newest launch pad at NASA Wallops along the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
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> The history making launch marks the first time that a spacecraft launched from Virginia is blazing a path to the International Space Station (ISS) – thereby scoring a milestone achievement to keep the orbiting lab complex stocked up with supplies and science experiments from American soil. This is the maiden flight of Cygnus.
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> It was a 'picture perfect' blastoff for the two stage Antares booster at 10:58 a.m. EDT this morning (Sept. 18) from the commercial Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
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> The blastoff of Antares was stunningly beautiful with intensely bright flames spewing from the rockets rear. And the incredibly loud roar of the first stage engines reverberated widely and wowed hoards of spectators gathered throughout the local viewing area in Chincoteague, Va. – and woke late sleepers some folks told me later today!
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> The rumbling thunder of Antares sounded as loud as a space shuttle.
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> Antares and Cygnus were built by Orbital Sciences Corporation and its team of industrial partners using seed money from NASA's COTS commercial transportation initiative aimed at fostering the development of America's commercial space industry to deliver critical and essential supplies to the ISS.
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> Thales-Alenia Space in Italy designed and constructed the 17 foot ( 5 meter) long Cygnus module under contract with Orbital. Thales-Alenia has actually built 50% of the pressurized modules currently comprising the ISS.
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> "This is a historic accomplishment for commercial spaceflight with the picture perfect launch of Antares and Cygnus headed for the space station," said Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's program manager for commercial crew and cargo, at a post launch briefing for reporters at NASA Wallops.
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> In fact this was the heaviest cargo load ever delivered to the ISS by a commercial vehicle, said Frank Culbertson, former astronaut and now Orbital's executive Vice President responsible for the Antares and Cygnus programs.
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> A revolutionary new day has dawned in space by opening up new pathways enabling space exploration And it's not a moment too soon given the continuing significant reductions to NASA's budget.
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> COTS was aimed at revolutionizing how we reach space by privatizing routine space operations that thereby allows NASA to focus more on exploration beyond low earth orbit, getting people back to the Moon and beyond to deep space destinations including Asteroids and Mars.
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> Today's Antares launch is the culmination of the COTS contract that NASA awarded to Orbital back in 2008.
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> "Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in a statement.
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> "Orbital's extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space."
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> The Cygnus spacecraft is healthy and successfully unfurled its life giving solar panels starting 1.5 minutes after separation from the second stage that took place about 10 minutes after launch.
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> Antares placed Cygnus into its intended orbit of about 180 x 160 miles above the Earth, inclined at 51.6 degrees to the equator, Orbital said.
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> Cygnus is traveling at 17,500 MPH and is on its way to rendezvous with the space station Sunday, Sept. 22. The cargo vessel will deliver about 1,300 pounds (589 kilograms) of cargo, including food, clothing, water, science experiments, spare parts and gear to the Expedition 37 crew.
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> The flight, known as Orb-D1 is a demonstration mission to prove that Cygnus can conduct a complex series of maneuvers in space safely bringing it to the vicinity of the ISS.
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> Mission controllers at Orbital will guide Cygnus to the vicinity of the ISS on Sept. 22.
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> But its only after carrying out a series of complicated maneuvering tests proving that the vehicle can safely and reliably approach the station up close that NASA and the ISS partners will grant permission to dock.
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> The ISS astronauts will then grapple Cygnus with the station's robotic arm and berth the capsule at an earth facing docking port.
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> The Antares first stage is powered by dual liquid fueled AJ26 first stage rocket engines that generate a combined total thrust of some 750,000 lbs – originally built in the Soviet Union as NK-33 model engines for the Soviet era moon rocket.
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> The upper stage features an ATK Castor 30 solid rocket motor with thrust vectoring. Antares can loft payloads weighing over 5000 kg to LEO. The 2nd stage will be upgraded starting with the 4th Antares flight.
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> "Antares next flight is scheduled for December sometime between the 8th and 21st", said Culbertson.
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> Smooth Sailing, Cygnus:
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> Orbital's New Cargo Ship Rockets to Space on First ISS Supply Mission
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> Ben Evans - AmericaSpace.com
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> Less than two weeks after Pad 0B reverberated to the roar of the first Minotaur V rocket, carrying NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) on its journey to the Moon, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Va., made history again today when Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched its first Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. Liftoff of the 133-foot-tall, two-stage Antares rocket—Orbital's first cryogenic launch vehicle and the largest booster the company has ever built—occurred from neighboring Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m. EDT. The launch was postponed slightly past its 10:50 a.m. target, due to several technical, human, and weather issues. Within 10 minutes of liftoff, the Antares had delivered Cygnus perfectly into orbit, and the spacecraft is currently in the process of unfurling its twin gallium arsenide solar arrays and communications appendages, prior to a rendezvous and berthing with the space station on Sunday.
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> Despite Orbital's earlier decision to effect a 24-hour launch postponement from Tuesday, 17 September, final processing of Antares and its star payload have run exceptionally smoothly. Two weeks ago, the Dulles, Va.-based company announced its decision to name the first Cygnus in honor of the late G. David Low, a three-time shuttle astronaut and former Orbital executive, whose leadership proved pivotal in securing the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) partnership with NASA. In February 2008, NASA announced that it had selected Orbital—together with Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX—as partners to commercially resupply the ISS. Ten months later, NASA "ordered eight flights valued at about $1.9 billion from Orbital and 12 flights valued at about $1.6 billion from SpaceX." Under the provisions of the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, each company was to transport around 44,000 pounds of payloads, equipment, and supplies to the ISS by the end of 2016.
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> SpaceX triumphantly completed its COTS Demonstration Mission back in May 2012, and its first two "dedicated" CRS cargo flights subsequently took place in October 2012 and March 2013. In the meantime, Orbital endured a multitude of technical and organizational problems which repeatedly delayed the maiden voyage of its large Antares launch vehicle. Its Aerojet-developed AJ-26 engines—whose heritage extends back to the Soviet era—are powered by liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (known as "RP-1?) and are part of a consignment of 36 engines bought from Russia in the mid-1990s. These were extensively upgraded and modernized by Aerojet, and at the instant of liftoff each one produces a sea-level thrust of 338,000 pounds. Despite a handful of problems, including stress corrosion of the 40-year-old metal, the engines have performed generally well on the test stand since 2010. In addition to the engines, Orbital has endeavored to develop a new launch site at MARS on Wallops Island, Va., and experienced difficulties with the construction of new kerosene and liquid oxygen tankage and the certification of propellant loading operations. These conspired to delay the first test launch of Antares well past its original spring 2012 target date. Eventually, on 21 April 2013, the vehicle rocketed away from Pad 0A on the long-awaited "A-ONE" mission and delivered a mass simulator of Cygnus into low-Earth orbit. This provided a close analog for the opening minutes of a "real" ISS mission.
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> By the time of the A-ONE flight, the Cygnus for today's ORB-D launch was already deep into processing. Its Service Module (SM) had been loaded with hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide maneuvering propellants in the V-55 Hypergolic Fueling Facility at Wallops between 15-19 April, after which it was moved to the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) for several months. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the HIF, Antares' two stages were mated in July and, after the installation of Cygnus, the vehicle was rolled out to Pad 0A on Friday, 13 September. Poor weather conditions during the rollout process and the discovery of an inoperative cable during a combined systems test on Friday evening prompted Orbital to postpone the launch by 24 hours from 17 September until today. A smooth Launch Readiness Review on Tuesday concluded with a unanimous "Go for Launch" and enabled Orbital managers and engineers to begin final preparations for an opening launch attempt at 10:50 a.m. EDT Wednesday, at the start of a 15-minute "window." In readiness for the attempt, all personnel were cleared from Pad 0A and a process of "chilling down" the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) commenced shortly after 8:00 a.m. "Cooling down of the equipment used to store and transfer the liquid oxygen is important," noted AmericaSpace's Launch Tracker, "as the propellant boils at a temperature of -297F and the shock of the supercooled liquid hitting warm valves and lines could cause severe thermal shock and fracture." Shortly afterwards, Antares' ordnance—including pyrotechnics to separate various components during the flight—were enabled, and just before 9 a.m. the chilling down of the liquid oxygen transfer lines began, ahead of loading propellants into the first stage tanks.
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> At around 9:30 a.m., a few minutes after the "Go" to commence liquid oxygen loading, Orbital announced a slight shift of the launch time to 10:58 a.m., reportedly to adjust a gaseous nitrogen regulator. Other issues concerned low cloud and "distant focused overpressure," which led the Wallops Range to declare its status as "Red" ("No Go"), but expected the situation to improve later in the countdown. A group of occupied buildings which may have been exposed to damage by Antares' blast wave were also evacuated, and a problem was detected with the non-critical RocketCam which would transmit live imagery of the ascent. In the meantime, at 10:13 a.m., Antares' avionics system was loaded with the flight software to guide its ascent into orbit. Despite the fact that the overpressure issue remained a "Red" item, the Launch Readiness Review declared that it was "Go for Launch" just before 10:30 a.m. The overpressure constraint was finally cleared a few minutes later and the range announced that it was now "Green" ("Go") for launch. By this point, the fueling procedure was nearing its conclusion.
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> Loading of propellants aboard Antares is timed to begin approximately 90 minutes ahead of liftoff, due to time limits associated with the rapid boil-off of the cryogenics. The loading itself required 75 minutes and was concluded at 10:42 a.m., with all propellant levels declared as "Flight Ready." The liquid oxygen remained in a so-called "topping-off" mode, being continuously replenished as it boiled off until just before launch. Three minutes later, at 10:45 a.m., a final "Go/No-Go" poll of the launch team produced a definitive "Go for Launch," after which the systems aboard Antares and Cygnus were transferred from ground power supplies to internal battery power. The Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL)—which delivered the vehicle to the pad, raised it to the vertical, and has supported its servicing utilities—was armed to execute a rapid retraction at the instant of liftoff. With five minutes left on the clock, the Flight Termination System was armed, and at T-3 minutes and 30 seconds, the Terminal Count got underway, with Antares' on-board autosequencer now in primary control of all critical functions. These included the final pressurization of the rocket's first-stage fuel tanks and the gimbaling of the two AJ-26 engines. Under careful computer control, the engines roared to life at T-2 seconds, ramping up to full power, and the vehicle left Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m.
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> Shortly after clearing the launch complex—with its RocketCam glitch apparently rectified and producing spectacular imagery—Antares executed a pitch and roll program maneuver to establish itself onto the proper flight azimuth. Maximum aerodynamic turbulence—known as "Max Q"—was encountered 80 seconds into the flight, and the AJ-26 engines continued to burn hot and hard until they finally shut down about four minutes after launch. By now at an altitude of almost 70 miles and traveling in excess of 10,000 mph, the first stage separated at 11:01 a.m. This left the second stage and Cygnus to coast for two minutes, prior to jettisoning the bullet-like payload shroud. Ignition of the second stage's solid-fueled Castor-30A engine came at 11:03:29 a.m. The engine burned with a thrust of 89,000 pounds for about 2.5 minutes, providing a final push to inject Cygnus into low-Earth orbit and shutting down at 11:06 a.m. The cargo ship itself separated from the second stage at 11:08 a.m., just 10 minutes after leaving Virginia. At the time of separation, Cygnus was orbiting high above the Atlantic Ocean, east of Brazil. As described in AmericaSpace's preview article, today's launch heralds the start of the month-long Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Demonstration Mission to evaluate the ability of Cygnus to deliver a payload of supplies to the station and its Expedition 37 crew of Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano.
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> Between now and its arrival at the ISS, it will execute several orbit-raising and "phasing" maneuvers to bring it into the vicinity of the multi-national outpost. Despite Orbital's earlier decision to effect a 24-hour launch postponement from Tuesday, 17 September, the arrival of Cygnus at the ISS remains scheduled for Saturday, 22 September. During rendezvous operations, the spacecraft will showcase its ability to "hold" position at various distances, before entering the Keep-Out Sphere (KOS)—a virtual zone extending about 660 feet around the space station to prevent collisions—and being grappled by the 57-foot-long Canadarm2 robotic arm. It will then be berthed onto the "nadir" (Earth-facing) port of the Harmony node by Nyberg and Parmitano. The Expedition 37 crew will be augmented next week by the arrival of Soyuz TMA-10M with Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky and NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, whose first few days aboard the station will be devoted to the unloading of Cygnus' Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM). Current plans call for Cygnus to remain at the ISS for approximately a month, with unberthing—again via Canadarm2—and separation scheduled for 22 October. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship, which has the capability to return payloads to an ocean splashdown, Orbital's Cygnus is intended to burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry.
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> NASA looks to post-2020 International Space Station operations
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> William Harwood - CBS News
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> Barring a catastrophic malfunction or damaging impacts from space debris, NASA should be able to keep the International Space Station (ISS) in operation at least through 2020 and, with steady funding, careful planning and a bit of luck, through 2028 -- the 30th anniversary of the first module's launch -- officials say.
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> But reduced power from degraded solar arrays and other crippling consequences of decades spent in the extreme environment of space will slowly but surely take their toll and the cost-benefit ratio eventually will tilt in favor of abandonment and a fiery controlled re-entry.
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> While the engineering and management challenges associated with keeping the station operational are daunting, ISS program manager Michael Suffredini says they should be doable, as long as NASA has the resources to build spare parts, pay for cargo launches and provide transportation for U.S. astronauts, either aboard U.S. commercial spacecraft or Russian Soyuz capsules.
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> "We have a space station that is designed in a modular fashion meant for repair," Suffredini told CBS News. "So as long as you have spares for all the things that can break, you can last as long as the structure will let you last. Within reason.
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> "The structure, it turns out, most of it was originally designed for 30 years. So all that margin has made it relatively easy for us to get to 2020. 2028 will be a little bit more challenging. ... We may have to sharpen our pencils to get to 2028."
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> Boeing, NASA's space station prime contractor, is currently conducting a detailed engineering analysis to verify that the U.S. segment of the complex can safely operate through the end of the decade. Russian engineers are assessing their own hardware, as are the other international partners.
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> The Boeing analysis is not yet complete and additional work will be needed to to show the lab can be safely operated beyond 2020. But Suffredini said no major surprises have cropped up so far and he's optimistic the station eventually can be cleared to fly through 2028 -- in theory, at least.
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> "When we get to 2028, the solar arrays are going to be struggling, I'm probably going to have a handful of radiator lines that have been isolated," he said. "2028 might be possible, but it also might be very challenging because then you're talking about the cost of replacing big things that may be prohibitive.
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> "All our analysis kind of says we think we can get to 2028 and that's the path we're headed on. As we start getting beyond 2028, if it makes sense, and things aren't failing at a rate that makes it difficult for us to keep up, and the country thinks it's the right thing to do, then we can look at going beyond that.
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> "But 2028's kind of where we're drawing our line today based on the original design of the structure."
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> An Engineering Marvel
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> The first element of what would become the ISS was the NASA-financed, Russian-built Zarya propulsion and storage module, also known as the Functional Cargo Block, or FGB. It was launched 15 years ago this November by a Proton rocket. Two weeks later, a space shuttle carried the first NASA component into orbit, the Unity connecting node, and the two were "mated" to form the core of the station.
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> NASA modified the assembly sequence in the wake of the 2003 Columbia disaster and a subsequent decision by the Bush administration to retire the shuttle by the end of the decade. The U.S. segment of the outpost was declared complete after the final shuttle flight in July 2011.
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> To understand the engineering challenge facing space station operators, it helps to visualize the 900,000-pound structure as it orbits the Earth, 260 miles up, streaking through space at 5 miles per second and enduring temperature swings of 500 degrees Fahrenheit as it moves from sunlight to shadow and back again.
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> The long axis of the lab complex, normally oriented in the direction of travel, generally stretches out like a train, with pressurized modules connected fore and aft like passenger cars. At the front end of the complex -- the locomotive in the train analogy -- the U.S. Harmony module leads the way, with the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory attached to a right-side port and Japan's Kibo lab extending to the left.
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> Harmony's aft port is connected to the U.S. Destiny laboratory module, which in turn is bolted to the central Unity connecting node. The U.S. Quest airlock extends to the right and the Tranquility module extends to the left. A cargo storage compartment extends straight down and a set of four massive gyroscopes, used to re-orient the station and maintain its commanded position, or "attitude," is housed in a short truss that extends from Unity's top port.
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> The U.S. segment of the station, which includes ESA, Japan and the Canadian Space Agency, extends from Unity forward. The Russian segment begins just beyond Unity's aft port where the Zarya module is attached. The Russian Rassvet module extends down from Zarya and serves as a docking port for unmanned cargo ships and manned Soyuz spacecraft. Bringing up the rear of the space station "train" is the Russian Zvezda command module.
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> The Poisk docking compartment extends upward from Zarya and the Pirs module, which serves as a docking port and an airlock, extends straight down. An aft port is available for manned and unmanned vehicles. The Russians plan to replace Pirs next year with a large laboratory module. Later, they plan to attach a multi-port docking compartment to the new lab and then a solar array assembly that will extend from that module to the right.
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> Mounted at right angles to the long axis of the station is its primary solar power truss, a huge assembly spanning the length of a football field that houses critical electrical components, ammonia coolant loops and steerable radiator panels.
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> The Canadian robot arm can move from one side of the truss to the other atop a mobile platform. On each end of the truss, four huge sets of solar arrays rotate like giant paddle wheels to track the sun as the station orbits the Earth.
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> The entire lab complex can be maneuvered, or re-oriented, by firing Russian rocket thrusters or by changing the speed of NASA's gyroscopes inside the Z1 truss atop the Unity module. Rocket thrusters are typically used for major maneuvers while the gyros are primarily used for more minor attitude changes.
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> The power truss is anchored to the long axis of the station by 10 massive struts that connect the central S0 truss segment to the top of the Destiny laboratory. Those struts, like all of the station structure, expand and contract as the lab moves into and out of sunlight.
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> They also have to handle the stresses generated when the station is maneuvered, when visiting vehicles dock at the outpost and when Russian thrusters are fired to boost its altitude. Those same forces also act on module ports and attachment fittings.
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> While the station might appear to be a rigid structure, it actually bends and flexes under a wide variety of loads. And that flexing, repeated year in and year out, poses a threat to the lab's structural integrity.
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> To assess the long-term structural health of the station, Boeing engineers developed detailed computer models based on NASA's projected use -- the expected stresses caused by future dockings, reboosts, crew activity and thermal cycles -- and combined that with actual data from on-board accelerometers and strain gauges.
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> The idea was to characterize the stresses acting across the station to identify areas of particular concern and to find out how they will fare over an extended mission.
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> "What we're looking at is theoretical crack growth," Pamela McVeigh, the engineer in charge of the Boeing structural analysis in Houston, told CBS News. "So the failure mode would be you'd have a crack beginning, probably (at) a bolt hole, and the crack would grow to another edge. So you'd lose like a flange on a C-beam, or an I-beam. The stiffness of your structure would then change, the bolt hole you that you were growing the crack out of, now that bolt wouldn't be effective."
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> McVeigh's boss, Boeing space station vehicle director Brad Cothran, said the stress comes from a combination of mechanical loads and temperature.
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> "It doesn't really care which one broke it," he said. "If the loads get high enough in a piece of structure, it will cause it to either yield or hit ultimate, which means crack in half."
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>
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> And once a crack starts, it can propagate and eventually weaken the affected component. McVeigh said the phenomenon is similar to bending a paperclip.
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> "If you bend that paperclip back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, eventually it snaps," she said. "That's essentially what we're trying to prevent from happening.
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> Repetitive stress, thermal and mechanical, is one area of concern. Another is making sure periodic rocket firings or other activities don't overly "excite" the station structure, setting up some sort of harmonic oscillation.
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> "That's what we want to avoid," Cothran said, "anything that hits a mode of the structure that would cause an interaction. Think about the Tacoma bridge. It starts rocking and it just violently comes apart, right? So those are the kinds of things we want to avoid."
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> He was referring to the ill-fated Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a one-mile-long suspension bridge in Washington state that collapsed in 1940, four months after its dedication, when 40-mph winds coupled with the bridge's natural vibration mode to set up a catastrophic "torsional flutter."
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> "We have seen some of those kind of interactions," Cothran said. "Nothing like the bridge, it didn't keep going, but we've seen some things interact up there."
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> He recalled a yaw maneuver about a year ago, when the station was rotated 180 degrees so Zvezda was in front and Harmony was at the rear.
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> "A lot of times, we flip the station around and fly backwards when people come to dock and just in that simple yaw ... 180 degrees, that was one that really sent us into a tizzy," he said.
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> "What happened was, as the control system saw us spinning, there was flex in the structure, it appeared the structure wasn't moving. Then it would cut off and the structure would move ahead. Then it would fire on again. So we got into this oscillation setting up in the structure, that we were like whoa, time out. Don't do that again, right?"
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> Such oscillations can be corrected by updating the station's control software to change the timing of rocket firings and other activities. Even so, the station endures constant stress and strain from normal, day-to-day operations.
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> As it turns out, the struts connecting the power truss to the Destiny module are not the area of highest concern.
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> "The 10 struts that connect the S0 to the lab are definitely one of the areas we wanted to look very closely at," McVeigh said. "The lab side of that interface didn't turn out to be too much of a concern. The struts themselves are very beefy. It's the connections at the two ends. The S0 side is a little more challenging, but the teams were able to show the connections are good to 2020."
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>
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> Interestingly, one of the areas of highest stress on the station is the integrated electronics assembly at the base of the far left P6 solar array. The P6 truss segment was launched early in the assembly sequence and because the solar panels turn to track the sun, the P6 IEA has experienced higher heating than other components.
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> But McVeigh said the hardware should be good through the end of the decade and while the Boeing analysis is not yet complete, "I'm feeling fairly confident in reaching 2020," she said. "I have not seen anything that rules it out. I've seen a few things that will be challenges."
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> Station's complexity, space environment add to management challenge
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>
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> Along with structural integrity, the Boeing study is focused on three other areas: systems that could suffer catastrophic failures unrelated to fatigue; the availability of critical spares; and the expected lifetime of key components.
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> Even with a sound structure, the station still faces the possibility of catastrophic failures resulting from micrometeoroid impacts or collisions with space debris.
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> The station was designed to withstand the sorts of impacts expected over its lifetime and flight controllers are always on guard for possible "conjunctions" that might require the station to maneuver out of the way.
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> Boeing engineers are focusing on systems like the station's high-pressure oxygen tanks and 3,000-psi lines attached to the Quest airlock that are used to repressurize the compartment and service spacesuits.
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> "We wanted to make sure those kind of things weren't going to fail that could result in a catastrophic hazard," Cothran said. "We've been through all that analysis now and we've cleared all those systems. Our oxygen high-pressure system ... turned out to be very robust."
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> Other equally important systems include the station's ammonia coolant loops and radiators, which are used to get rid of the heat generated by the lab's electronics. But in that case, a failure would impact the operation of the station, not threaten its survival.
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> "If I ever get a hole in an ammonia line, it will be a challenge for us to find it and repair it," Suffredini said. "The only way to ID (a leak) is to actually see the ammonia coming out and the conditions usually don't stay right to see ammonia coming out very long once you start to lose pressure."
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> As a result, NASA has ordered a high-tech sensor that the station's robot arm can move about to sniff out low-level traces of ammonia. The sensor should be ready for launch in about a year and a half.
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> The availability of critical spares is another area of focus for the Boeing engineers, making sure the components currently in orbit have backups available or in the pipeline for launch before a failure might occur.
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> New lithium-ion batteries, which feed stored solar array power to the station when the lab is in Earth's shadow, are scheduled for launch in 2017 that will keep that system healthy through 2020.
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> More than a ton of spare parts are being readied for launch to upgrade the Zarya module, and a steady stream of components is in production for launches downstream, including high-pressure oxygen and nitrogen tanks and ammonia coolant pumps.
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> The solar arrays themselves are degrading over time as a natural consequence of flying in space, but Cothran they will continue to supply the station's electrical needs through 2020. Getting to 2028 will require increased efficiency and at some point, the Russians, who currently get about 8 kilowatts of power from NASA's arrays, will have to rely on their own solar panels.
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> "We can be more efficient in our distribution system ... so the power to the end user, even though you've lost it at the transmission station, your end user will get some more power," Cothran said.
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> "We're even thinking out of the box. Ten years from now, if you just wanted to go throw some dumb blankets out there, if you will, and just wrap them around the truss (you would) get something out of them. There are all sorts of things the team is looking at that we could do."
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> Shelf life is another challenge facing station operators. Electrical components might be used, or stored, for many years and Boeing is doing a top-to-bottom analysis to identify internal systems that might be susceptible to failure after extended periods in storage, either in space or on the ground.
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> One problem already identified: programmable computer chips that somehow lose their internal charge over time.
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> "We've got a lot of data points that say that those (chips), once they start getting into double-digit years, they lose their internal charge and can't necessarily retain their memory," Cothran said.
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> "It's not something you find in the commercial industry because cell phones, laptops, anything we use down here on the ground has only got a useful life of three to five years, right?
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> "But since a lot of our parts were built back in the 90s and we've got spare units, it's something we're having to worry about. It's not that it totally fails, what we have to do is we have to go back in and refresh it. So it's not something that's a show stopper, it's just something we learned and as long as we're proactive, we're fine."
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> Assuming the primary structure passes muster and no show stoppers turn up in the areas of shelf life or catastrophic failure scenarios, ensuring a steady supply of spare parts will remain NASA's major technical challenge through 2020 and beyond.
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> "It's a whole integrated process to make sure every one of the (replaceable components) will last to 2020, and you've got the right sparing," Suffredini said. "And then every year, we redo our analysis to see is this better or worse? You can imagine that for everything that's failed, that's a new data point.
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> "If I do my job right, we really could go to 2028 if I don't have ... to buy a whole bunch of new hardware, I just keep going and just let the analysis year to year tell me what I have to do."
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> NASA's Low-Tech Secrets
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> A legacy of utilizing legacy technology
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>
>
> Terry Dunn - Tested.com
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> (Dunn worked for 15 years as a NASA contractor at NASA Johnson Space Center, and now lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he works as an engineer in the plastics industry)
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> Since its inception in 1958, NASA has fostered a very high-tech, cutting-edge public image. Surely astronauts commute about Houston in flying cars and stash concealed ray guns under those blue jumpsuits, right? As a kid in central Florida, watching space shuttle launches from my backyard, that Buck Rogers aura was the only side of NASA that I ever knew. You can imagine my surprise when I came to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in 1997 as a budding engineer and found a decidedly less futuristic, almost anachronistic side of the agency.
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> I do not intend my observation as a slight against NASA…actually quite the contrary. Spaceflight has always been a balance between managing risk and fostering innovation. Whereas unmanned, scientific missions are more apt to dabble in pioneering technologies, programs that send humans to orbit have embraced whatever proven technologies are feasible and available. Strapping yourself to a rocket ship has enough intrinsic risk, so why not hedge the odds where you can?
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> Here are some examples of those aging technologies that were still under the employ of NASA during my tenure there.
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> An Overgrown Abacus
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> While it is easy to accept the necessity of legacy technologies in our space program, there are a few examples that have surprised me with their tenacity. First, let's look at the Mission Control Center (MCC), the site of my initial NASA duties. On my first day on the job, I was introduced to the high-tech, super-fast computing powerhouse that flight controllers relied on to manage space shuttle flights. Was it a Cray supercomputer or perhaps a Deep Blue derivative? Well, no. It was an ancient, room warming IBM mainframe running Assembly Language.
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> Called the Mission Operations Computer (MOC , or "Mock" in NASAspeak), this mainframe was actually heavy-duty computing stuff when it debuted in the mid 1960's. It handled critical tasks such as real-time trajectory calculations and processing commands sent by flight controllers to the orbiter (whether it be Gemini, Apollo or Shuttle). It was perhaps the most vital piece of hardware within the MCC. In fact, we never operated with fewer than two mainframes at once: a prime and a hot backup that could be enabled at a moment's notice.
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> During my tenure in the MCC, we worked on projects to transition computing responsibilities off of the MOC and on to UNIX-based servers. It was not until the 2002 launch of shuttle mission STS-111, however, that the MOC was bumped to second fiddle. Think about that for a minute. One hundred ten of one hundred thirty-five missions flown by the space shuttle (arguably the most complex machine ever built by man) were choreographed by a humble mainframe (or two).
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> Since the retirement of the MOC, Mission Control has undergone steady upgrades to keep pace with the times. No matter which direction our manned space program ultimately takes, I suspect that we will never again see mission control lag so far behind computing's state of the art.
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>
> Rusty Tin Cans
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>
>
> I was briefly tempted to include the space shuttle orbiters in this recollection of technological hangovers. While you can't deny that they were getting long in the tooth, the three remaining shuttles were still quite spry when pulled from service. Like a classic car that is doted on by its owner, the shuttle fleet received constant TLC and significant upgrades over the years. Between better engines, digital "glass" cockpits, and an array of other weekend projects, just about the only aspect of the shuttle that did not get modernized was its shadow.
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>
>
> While the space shuttle gets a bye on this list, another under-appreciated vehicle deserves mention. The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), or spacesuit, is by most definitions a life-sustaining spacecraft. While the EMU has enjoyed a few upgrades during its 30+ years of service, those changes were much more subtle in nature. The core technology of the EMU remains essentially intact. It bears repeating that once NASA has confidence in a critical system, the agency tends to cling to it. When it comes to the EMU, NASA practically has "EMU" tattooed across its back.
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> While the crux of that commitment is to ensure astronaut safety with a well-proven system, money is also a big factor. It takes a considerable amount of time and effort to certify that a new widget will adequately perform its job in space while not causing negative impacts to the astronauts or myriad other devices that will be in close proximity. When widget 2.0 comes along, it has to represent a monumental improvement in performance to justify the expense of recertification.
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> In the waning days of the shuttle program, I was appointed to oversee the production of components used for sensing biomedical data within the EMU. The design of those components dates back to the 70's...maybe further. My team quickly found that more capable units were readily available at any medical supply store. I briefly lobbied higher-ups that we should adopt a more modern system using these off-the shelf commercial parts. Their response, in no uncertain terms, was for me to dust off the drawings, put on my big boy (leisure suit) pants and make the components 70's style…and that's what flies on the International Space Station today.
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> While NASA has struggled to keep the EMU design static, the rest of the engineering world has kept moving forward. The result is that many materials and chemicals used to build and process the EMU are becoming increasingly hard to obtain because no one else uses them anymore. In most cases, the material quantities that NASA needs are minuscule by industrial standards. If suppliers are still in business (and if they are willing to help) short, special-order productions runs are often cost prohibitive. When all else fails, NASA grudgingly chooses new materials and certifies them for use.
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> Another factor that may force design changes to the EMU is our present payload capacity for ISS-bound ships. The space shuttle was a veritable freight train with ample volume and a 25 ton payload capacity. It carried EMUs up and back with a regularity that ensured any given suit on the ISS had been recently blessed by technicians in Houston. Current supply ships such as the Russian Progress or Space-X Dragon have a fraction of the shuttle's load hauling capability. Every pound and cubic inch of payload capability is bitterly contested across the multi-national ISS program. It is simply no longer feasible to rotate EMU stock like the good ol' shuttle days.
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> EMU life support systems now stay on orbit for extended periods which may stretch the boundaries of their designed usage and maintenance profiles. It is in this new atmosphere that we have just experienced a rather tense moment due to a problem with an EMU. On July 16th, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano experienced water spouting into his helmet roughly one hour into a spacewalk with American astronaut Chris Cassidy. Thankfully, Luca is okay, but the remainder of the spacewalk was cancelled. In fact, all EMU-based spacewalks are cancelled until the problem can be sorted out. It will be a long wait to get the suspect hardware back to Houston. Since some ISS supply ships intentionally burn up after departing the station (taking smelly garbage with them), cargo space on vehicles that actually return to Earth is even more coveted than that on outbound rides.
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> While replacement suit designs are in various stages of development, none are nearly ready for flight. In the mean time, it will be interesting to see how the EMU's current logistical limitations may drive design changes to NASA's legacy spacewalk attire.
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>
> Wrinkled Wings
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> Although not directly related to spaceflight, NASA has a fleet of airplanes that it keeps at Ellington Field near JSC. At a time when the age of the average airliner in the US is somewhere well south of 20 years, NASA's Ellington hangars might seem like an aircraft rest home. Just like control centers and spacesuits, airplanes aren't cheap. So, NASA continues to utilize what works in spite of its age.
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> The T-38 is a supersonic jet used for proficiency training, personal transport, and various other things. As the Dick Clark of the Ellington fleet, the T-38's sleek appearance belies the fact that it is a 50 year old design. Since the US military also continues to maintain a respectable T-38 presence, I would expect to see NASA's birds rockin' many more new years.
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> Other, more specialized designs can't help but show their age. The ungainly Super Guppy transport looks like a prehistoric land creature…certainly not something capable of flight. But fly it does. The Guppy hauls big heavy parts wherever they are needed and hosts high-altitude tennis matches in its bulbous cargo hold (just kidding…it's racquetball).
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> The long droopy wings of the WB-57 high-altitude plane make it look as if it just wants a place to lie down for a while. It's only an illusion. The WB-57 may be old, but it isn't tired. Thanks to that huge wing and modernized engines, it leaps off of the runway and scampers up to the clouds. Despite their varied appearance, the razor-sharp T-38, swollen Super Guppy, and droopy WB-57 can all trace their origins back to the early 1960's.
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> Astronauts returning from a stint on ISS hitch a ride from Russia back to Houston on NASA's Gulfstream III. This large biz-jet also participates in scientific research by schlepping various instrumentation packages aloft. At only 32 years old, the GIII is practically a hatchling and seriously blows the age curve!
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>
> What's Next?
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>
> NASA has always known that touting its fascinating new developments is what brings the sizzle (public support) and generates excitement (congressional funding) for the space program. Indeed, public outreach is one of its key charters. Even though the agency has frequent need to stay technologically status quo or even go retro, it typically does so quietly. That well-honed balance of "shiny" versus "trusted" may be evolving over the next few years as NASA shows more of its hand. The current space shuttle follow-on, Space Launch System (SLS), simply can't hide its roots. There is certainly exciting new technology involved in pulling SLS together. Yet, NASA's PR guys may have a hard time making that point when describing a ship that looks just like the Saturn V rockets of moon shot fame and borrows engine and booster technology from the shuttle. As SLS moves forward, it will be interesting to observe whether the bigger challenges are faced by the folks building the new rocket, or the guys who must convince a finicky public to embrace it.
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> NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight
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>
>
> Craig Hlavaty - Houston Chronicle
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> NASA is offering you the chance to help assist in the future of manned spaceflight, and all you have to do is confine yourself to a hospital bed for three months or so.
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> The space agency has an ongoing bed-rest study and they need test subjects.
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> Who wouldn't want to lay in bed for a 15 weeks and paid for doing it? But there are plenty of catches, according to researchers Ronita Cromwell and John Neigut with the Flight Analogs Project, based out of the Johnson Space Center.
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> This long-term bed rest study calls for participants who are non-smokers in healthy physical condition and who match the makeup of astronauts to help NASA document how the human body reacts to 70 days in a bed rest position.
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> "We don't want couch potatoes for this study," says Cromwell. The study, based out of NASA's Human Test Subject Facility at Galveston's UTMB medical center.
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> You must also pass the Modified Air Force Class III Physical, which includes vision and hearing screenings, blood and urine work, an electrocardiogram, screening for drugs and alcohol, and infectious disease testing. Here is the application.
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> "It's a little customized for our use," says Neigut.
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> Right now, researchers would like people between the ages of 24 and 55 for their study, preferably male.
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> Those who are selected should come into the study with something to occupy their free time.
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> "We encourage them to come in with a goal," Neigut says. Some people write books or try to learn foreign languages, and some even continue to work if they have Internet-based occupations. Some musicians and artists continue to create while lying in bed too, though they haven't had any rock drummers come around.
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> "Each subject is participating in seven research investigations," says Neigut. A UTMB investigator usually works with each subject on another project, too.
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> For example, there are testosterone studies and cardiovascular studies also going on that help the general public. The subjects also undergo MRIs while performing simple tasks to see how the brain reacts.
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> Sitting up or standing is off limits for participants in the study. Without an anti-gravity chamber, this is the best way to simulate on Earth what going without gravity does to humans in outer space on long-term missions, according to NASA. Subjects must also lie with their feet slightly above their head, so gravity pulls your bodily fluids toward your head.
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> You have to exercise six days a week while at UTMB. Cromwell and Neigut characterized the exercises as high-intensity, with strength and cycling training involved, all while laying in a hospital bed. Subjects aren't total sloths.
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> You can go outside, but you must stay in that head-down position. Also, you won't be out there long as you cannot overdose on sunlight. They supply that necessary vitamin for you.
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> "They experience the same physical changes that astronauts go through on long missions," says Cromwell.
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>
> Still sound like a blast?
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>
>
> In the past subjects have been called "pillownauts" seeing as their craft is not a billion-dollar capsule but a hospital bed. Blogger Heather Archuletta documented her experience on her own blog a few years back and kept a Flickr account of her stay in Galveston.
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> Oh, and there are no conjugal visits, so you will going without -- you know -- for a while.
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> "We encourage family and friends to come visit as much as possible," says Neigut. This helps with passing the time, and with morale during the 15-week duration.
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> Before subjects enter the study they go through psychological testing to make sure they have the mental tools to be confined for such a period of time. They also tour the grounds to see what is in store, including the bed pans and the roommate situation.
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> There is a two-week rehab process for participants to literally get back on their feet.
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> Neigut says in the spring they are looking at conducting shorter studies, maybe around two weeks or a few days, depending on what they need to research. They may also have an isolation chamber studdy too.
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> A few people take a liking to the study and come back for more. Former military do well in study.
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> "Some people are really interested in the science return and love helping NASA," says Neigut. "We have numerous repeat requests for people to come back to the study."
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> China's space station to open for foreign peers
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> Zhao Lei - China Daily
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> China is willing to provide training and open the Chinese space station to foreign astronauts, senior space flight officials said.
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> "We would like to train astronauts from other countries and organizations that have such a demand, and we would be glad to provide trips to foreign astronauts," said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency. "We will also welcome foreign astronauts who have received our training to work in our future space station."
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> Yang, China's first astronaut, who went into space in 2003, said many countries submitted proposals to the Chinese government during the development of the space station, hoping China would help train their astronauts and then send them to the station to conduct scientific experiments.
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> "The effect of including foreign participants in our space programs is not only that these nations can send their people to outer space, but also that we will enable them to develop their own space projects."
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> Yang made the remarks during the five-day United Nations/China Workshop on Human Space Technology, which opened in Beijing on Monday.
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> A total of 150 participants from more than 20 nations and regions attended the conference. They are expected to discuss new space projects, microgravity research, international cooperation as well as awareness education for the public.
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> China has been involved in a host of cooperative projects with other nations, according to Yang.
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> "China and Russia have collaborated on astronaut training, spacecraft technology and extra-vehicular suits, and we are cooperating with our French counterparts on a variety of experiments in astrobiology and space medicine," he said, adding that Chinese and German scientists also performed astrobiological experiments during the unmanned Shenzhou VIII mission in 2011.
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> "Astronauts from the European Space Agency and their Chinese peers have visited each other's training facilities, laying a solid foundation for further communication.
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> "The exchanges with other countries and organizations will make us familiar with their techniques and experiences, hence boosting our research and development of the space station."
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>
> Receiving congratulations on the 10th anniversary of his space mission, Yang said China is also determined to assist other developing economies in the space flight, noting that existing cooperative projects between China and developing economies focus on the application of astronautic and space technologies, and training for professionals.
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> He also said his agency has signed many agreements with universities in Hong Kong to conduct joint research on space technology, and they also have taken part in previous space activities.
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> Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, said the country will be able to rendezvous with other countries' spacecraft at the space station. China is also exploring the possibility of carrying out a joint rescue operation, according to Zhou.
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> "China is now in an appropriate position to assist developing countries in building the capacity and capability of conducting space activities," said Mazlan Othman, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
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> "Many nations have realized that space is very important in the context of development, both globally and nationally, and China is a good example of how space can become a vital and crucial aspect of economic development."
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> Othman said China is doing well in sharing its experiences with other nations and declaring its intentions, leaving no doubt that its space endeavors are for peaceful purposes.
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> Othman said she is convinced that China will promote space exploration for all mankind with its resolve and huge investment.
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> "I think China can lead in the international community's exploration of space. It has the political will to expand its manned space endeavors, and based on that will, China has ensured and set aside enough resources."
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> Giant leap for smarter government
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> Missions will deliver at one-third shuttle's cost
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>
>
> Matt Reed - Florida Today (Commentary)
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>
>
> If you love U.S. spaceflight but shudder at the cost, Wednesday's launch of an Orbital Sciences rocket to supply to the International Space Station should make you feel good.
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>
>
> Although a small step for America's space program, the smooth-as-silk launch from Virginia represented part of a giant leap for NASA contracting and free enterprise. Brevard's "home team," SpaceX, represents the other part, having successfully launched twice from Cape Canaveral.
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>
>
> For $800 million — roughly the cost of one space shuttle launch in its final years — NASA paid the two companies to research, build and launch two new rocket systems capable of delivering food and gear to the orbiting station. Cargo was top priority, post-shuttle.
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>
>
> Given a maximum price and a succinct list of capabilities NASA sought, the businesses adopted sharply different strategies. For both, time was of the essence. They would eat the cost overruns from technical failures or delays.
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>
> From scratch, Space X developed its Falcon rocket and Dragon capsule system that can return supplies from the station, not just deliver. Its spacecraft could be adapted for satellite launches or human flight, and Space X is competing for that work.
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>
> Orbital Sciences, a veteran space contractor, took a "best practices" approach, assimilating Russian engines for its Antares rocket. Its Cygnus cargo capsule makes a one-way trip, and was still on approach to the station at press time.
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> Today, SpaceX and Orbital Sciences appear to be locks to secure separate long-term contracts for supply missions. Together, they would fly 20 "commercial-cargo" missions at an average cost of about $175 million.
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> That's less than one-third the cost of doing the same work with the shuttle at its peak.
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> Plus, there's value in diversification and "redundancy," as NASA calls it, for our national security and astronauts.
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>
> Quiet triumph
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>
>
> Wednesday, I watched the Orbital Sciences flight on my computer screen at work. The view from the rocket showed the Wallops Island launch site rapidly getting smaller and smaller, same as any other launch.
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> "Looks like they fixed the rocket cam," a NASA TV announcer said dryly.
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> "Looks like," his cohost said.
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> "Beautiful view."
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> The triumph this time was not in launching a rocket (which looked like any other) or delivering some boxes to orbit.
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> The victory was the huge savings to taxpayers from a risk taken years ago by an agency known for paying billions more than expected for spacecraft due to unrealistic plans or delays.
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> NASA started the commercial-cargo program under President George W. Bush. It is a victory for smaller, smarter government.
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>
>
> President Barack Obama tried to apply the same contracting process to human flights to the space station. Ironically, House conservatives including Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, lost their nerve.
>
>
>
> Congress pushed NASA to narrow the field among space upstarts and steer the process for commercial-crew back to a slower, more expensive purchasing process. The companies will still own and operate the spaceships they develop.
>
>
>
> Meanwhile, Congress directed billions more to construction of NASA's giant Space Launch System rocket, the Orion crew capsule and a massive launch tower. That work has been done under the old system, in which taxpayers cover whatever costs arise, plus a profit to the contractors, with government making all the decisions.
>
>
>
> It has gone as you'd expect.
>
>
>
> Time to evolve
>
>
>
> But it is the proven way for Congress bring home more bacon longer.
>
>
>
> For the Space Coast, there's no denying the short-term economic loss from our signature industry doing its work cheaper and faster with thousands fewer workers.
>
>
>
> Brevard's annual gross domestic product dropped 2.4 percent, or $444 million, after the last shuttle flight in 2011. Since then, a host of smaller commercial and government space ventures have cropped up around Kennedy Space Center. In 2012, GDP rose by 1.2 percent, or $211 million.
>
>
>
> Granted, not all of that loss or gain came from changes at the Cape. Still, the numbers show Brevard has not yet fully recovered from the loss of its cash-cow shuttle program.
>
>
>
> The newfound productivity at SpaceX and other private contractors may take years to encourage more innovation, entrepreneurship and business growth here.
>
>
>
> But the commercial cargo flights represent a breakthrough for the country. NASA should apply the process again, preferably to something big.
>
>
>
> END
>
>
>
>

Subject: Fwd: Human Spaceflight News - September 19, 2013 and JSC Today
References: <7F10211CD602224DB7B4BB3E4E6DB4A605B3C3@NDJSMBX104.ndc.nasa.gov>
From: Bobby Martin <bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary=Apple-Mail-1--2923174
<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div><br><br>Sent from my iPad</div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" &lt;<a href="mailto:larry.j.moon@nasa.gov">larry.j.moon@nasa.gov</a>&gt;<br><b>Date:</b> September 19, 2013 5:59:26 AM GMT-06:00<br><b>To:</b> "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" &lt;<a href="mailto:larry.j.moon@nasa.gov">larry.j.moon@nasa.gov</a>&gt;<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>FW: Human Spaceflight News - September 19, 2013 and JSC Today</b><br><br></div></blockquote><div><span></span></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span class="applelinkswhite"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:white">Thursday, September 19, 2013</span></b></span><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:white"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:white"><a href="http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/news/jsctoday/archives"><span style="color:white;text-decoration:none">View Archives</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://strategicplan.jsc.nasa.gov/"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">JSC 2.0</span></b></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://internal.jsc.nasa.gov"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">Inside JSC</span></b></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://internal.jsc.nasa.gov/Lists/Calendar/calendar.aspx"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">JSC Events</span></b></a>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/news/jsctoday/submit.cfm"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">Submit JSC Today</span></b></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/roundup/roundup_toc.html"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">JSC Roundup</span></b></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/outreach/readersroom.html"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:white;text-decoration:none">Reader's Room</span></b></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<h3 style="margin-left:2.25pt;vertical-align:baseline"><a name="the_top">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JSC TODAY CATEGORIES</a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#336699"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
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<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><a href="#r1"><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Headlines</span><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">
</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17533"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Joint Leadership Team Web Poll</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17543"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Join Us Sept. 24 for Our Next Innovation Event</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17544"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> How to Conserve IT Energy at JSC</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17545"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Laptop Servicing Center Location Change</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#336699;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><a href="#r2"><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Organizations/Social</span><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">
</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17550"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> JSC NMA Luncheon Next Week - RSVP Now</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17500"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Parenting Series: Time Management, Family &amp; Work</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17489"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> The College Money Guys</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17503"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Starport Jewelry Fair</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17540"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> Parent's Night Out at Starport - Sept. 20
</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#336699;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><a href="#r3"><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Jobs and Training</span><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">
</span></a><br>
-&nbsp;<a href="#r17537"><span style="color:#336699;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"> HTC University at JSC Entrepreneurship Course
</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
</td>
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<img border="0" width="226" height="170" id="_x0000_i1028" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CEB505.B5BE13C0" alt="Antares Rocket With Cygnus Spacecraft Launches"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/content/antares-rocket-with-cygnus-spacecraft-launches" target="_blank"><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Antares Rocket With Cygnus Spacecraft Launches</span></a>
</b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<h2 style="vertical-align:baseline"><a name="r1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Headlines</a><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#336699"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<a name="r17533"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Joint Leadership Team Web Poll
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Flex Fridays are a normal workday for some, household chores for others and a trip to the dentist for the rest. It's a secret play
day for me; don't tell anyone. This week we look forward to the upcoming Soyuz launch of 36S. I'm vaguely familiar with where it launches from, but not exactly sure. Is it Russia? Ukraine? Star City? I'm further along with planning our big fall festival thanks
to you. It will now be called Nerdzilla-Con, and you have to dress up like a comic book character to get in free. I can't wait. This week started a new "Dancing with the Stars," and we all know that Bill Nye the Science Guy is a first-week goner. Who will
be next? Snooki? Oprah? Ozzy? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Foxtrot your Tango on over to get this week's poll.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434"><a href="mailto:joel.b.walker@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Joel Walker</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x30541</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<a href="http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/</span></b></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo5;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17543"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Join Us Sept. 24 for Our Next Innovation Event
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Date/Time:&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Sept. 24 from noon to 1
p.m. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Place:&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Building 35 Collaboration Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">: Innovation 2013: "Connect and
Collaborate to Explore New Ideas"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Innovation 2013 takes it to the next level with three more forums:<b>&nbsp;
</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo6;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Robert Banfield/DA: "Connecting and Collaborating: How is JSC Doing in the View of Our Partner Organizations?"
</span></b><em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">One of JSC's goals is to expand relevance to life on Earth. How are we doing so far? What is the opinion of partner organizations that work very closely with JSC? What is JSC
doing with these partner organizations, and what should we consider doing in the future as part of JSC 2.0?
</span></b></em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo6;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Lynn Buquo/SA: "The Crowd Outside Our Gates: How the NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Information (CoECI) Can Advance Your Project."
</span></b><em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The presentation will provide an overview of CoECI and describe how CoECI helps NASA and other federal agencies generate ideas and solve important problems. Through open prize
competitions, NASA organizations and projects can readily increase their creative capacity and reach by tapping into diverse talent from around the world.&nbsp;
</span></b></em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo6;vertical-align:baseline">
<strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Michael Kincaid/AD:&nbsp;"JSC External Relations 2.0: Check Out New Strategic Communications Approach."</span></strong><b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">
</span></i></b><em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Have you wondered how NASA/JSC public communications could be done better to advance human spaceflight programs? Are there ways we can have more impact? Have you wondered
how to be involved in education activities or to speak to a classroom? &nbsp;Check out the new strategies and actions that External Relations, including the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, are adopting to stimulate actions by stakeholders to advance
our programs. Find out what you can do to be a part of the solution!&nbsp; &nbsp; </span></b></em><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ul>
</ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Please register in SATERN and receive training credit. The SATERN links are included in our Innovation websites
<a href="https://innovation2013.jsc.nasa.gov/"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">here</span></b></a> (if you're at JSC), or
<a href="http://i2013.jsc.nasa.gov/"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">here</span></b></a> (if you're external to JSC).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">If special needs accommodations are necessary in order for you to participate, please contact Janelle Holt at x37504 or
<a href="mailto:janelle.holt-1@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">via email</span></b></a> at least five days prior to each event.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">This event is open to the entire JSC community!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:12:00 PM &nbsp; Event End Time:1:00 PM<br>
Event Location: Building 35 Collaboration Center<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17543"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:suzan.p.thomas@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Suzan Thomas</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x48772</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo7;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17544"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">How to Conserve IT Energy at JSC
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Help further conserve energy at JSC with these Information Technology (IT) tips:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo8;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Personal computers: "Shut down" mode uses energy. If possible, turn off power strips every night. If strips are hard to reach, "shut down" computers during weeknights, but turn off power strips
every weekend. Backups scheduled for the night will occur when computers are back online. Any security patches will be installed at that time. Some updates will require a reboot.<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo8;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Monitors and speakers: Turn these off when not in use<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo8;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minolta printers: Do NOT turn these off; this resets the printer, which makes them inefficient<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level2 lfo8;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Other printers: Turn off the power strip on weekends or set to standby mode
<o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ul>
</ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">For mission-critical computers that support 24-hour operations, check with your
<a href="http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/IRDHelp/whotocall/Lists/ACES%20IT%20POCs/AllItems.aspx">
<b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">IT point of contact</span></b></a> first.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">For more information and other energy saving tips, visit the
<a href="http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/ja/ja13/greenteam.cfm"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Green Team page</span></b></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434"><a href="mailto:JSC-IRD-Outreach@mail.nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">IRD and COD</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x33649</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="4" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo9;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17545"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Laptop Servicing Center Location Change
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Please be aware that the Laptop Servicing Center has moved to Building 46, Room 120.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">This office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - including Flex Fridays.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">This change affects where loaner laptops are issued.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Click
<a href="http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/ComputerServices/lsc/default.aspx"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">here</span></b></a> for additional information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434"><a href="mailto:JSC-IRD-Outreach@mail.nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">JSC-IRD-Outreach</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x36303</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="vertical-align:baseline"><a name="r2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Organizations/Social</a><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#336699"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo10;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17550"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">JSC NMA Luncheon Next Week - RSVP Now
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">You're invited to the September JSC NMA luncheon featuring Jillian Howard, a teacher whose story is incredible and her inspiration
infectious. Howard, CCISD and Region IV elementary teacher of the year, is on her way to find out if she will be crowned Texas' teacher of the year. Before those results are out, come listen as she speaks to the JSC NMA's theme for 2013-2014:&nbsp; "Challenge Yourself
to Lead" &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo11;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">When: Wednesday, Sept. 25<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo11;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo11;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ul>
</ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Cost for members: Free!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Cost for non-members: $20<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">There are three great menu options:&nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<ol start="4" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#336699;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Flounder Piccata (sautéed filet topped with lemon caper dressing, steamed garlic spinach and basmati rice)<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#336699;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">London Broil with Chimichurri Sauce (grilled balsamic flank steak served with parsley and Chimichurri sauce)<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#336699;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Tortellini and Roasted Portobello in a Blush Sauce (cheese-filled tortellini tossed with roasted Portobello, tomato cream sauce and fresh thyme)<o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
</ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434"><a href="http://www.jscnma.com/Events"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Please RSVP</span></b></a> by
</span><strong><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">9 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 23</span></i></strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">, with your menu selection. We apologize for the short notice, but Howard's&nbsp;amazing
story is one you won't want to miss!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:11:30 AM &nbsp; Event End Time:12:30 PM<br>
Event Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17550"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:catherine.e.williams@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Catherine Williams</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x33317</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<a href="http://www.jscnma.com/Events"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">http://www.jscnma.com/Events</span></b></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17500"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Parenting Series: Time Management, Family &amp; Work
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Do you overcommit yourself or your family? Do you say yes because you think no one else will do it? Work and family time management
is not about a "perfect" balance of work and family needs. We will be discussing the myths, realities and application involved in finding "your" balance. We will explore key areas that each person needs to examine for their career and family to best prioritize
their time and energy. Please join us for a self-evaluation and implementation of essential concepts of time management. JSC Employee Assistance Program counselor Anika Isaac, LPC, LMFT, NCC, LCDC, CEAP, will be presenting Time Management for Family and Work
today, Sept. 19, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in the Building 30 Auditorium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Thursday, September 19, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:12:00 PM &nbsp; Event End Time:1:00 PM<br>
Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17500"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:lorraine.k.bennett@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x36130</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17489"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The College Money Guys
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">The JSC Employee Assistance Program is happy to present Kris Lloyd with The College Money Guys. Lloyd will provide information
on paying for college without going broke. If you are the parent of a high school student who plans to attend college, you need to attend this free workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 12 noon in the Building 30 Auditorium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:12:00 PM &nbsp; Event End Time:1:00 PM<br>
Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17489"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:lorraine.k.bennett@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x36130</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="4" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17503"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Starport Jewelry Fair
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Masquerade Jewelry will be out on Sept. 24 to showcase $5 jewelry! Stop by Building 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and experience the
frenzy of $5 jewelry and accessories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:8:00 AM &nbsp; Event End Time:3:00 PM<br>
Event Location: Building 3<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17503"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:shelly.t.haralson@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Shelly Haralson</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x39168</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<a href="http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/</span></b></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="5" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo12;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17540"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Parent's Night Out at Starport - Sept. 20
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Enjoy a night out on the town while your kids enjoy a night with Starport. We will entertain your children with a night of games,
crafts, a bounce house, pizza, a movie, dessert and loads of fun! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">When: Friday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Where: Gilruth Center
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Ages: 5 to 12
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Cost: $20/first child and $10/each additional sibling if registered by the Wednesday prior to event. If registered after Wednesday,
the fee is $25/first child and $15/additional sibling. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Register at the Gilruth Center front desk. Click
<a href="https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-night-out">
<b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">here</span></b></a> for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Friday, September 20, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:6:00 PM &nbsp; Event End Time:10:00 PM<br>
Event Location: Gilruth Center<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17540"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:shericka.c.phillips@nasa.gov"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Shericka Phillips</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">x35563</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<a href="https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-night-out%20">
<b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-n...</span></b></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="vertical-align:baseline"><a name="r3">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jobs and Training</a><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#336699"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo13;vertical-align:baseline">
<a name="r17537"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">HTC University at JSC Entrepreneurship Course
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Interested in learning how to turn your ideas and expertise into a company?&nbsp;Learn how by attending HTC University at JSC, Foundations
of Entrepreneurship and Starting a Business Course.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">This one day course will focus on the fundamentals of starting a business. You will leave HTC University with a better understanding
of how to bring your company to fruition and take home materials to enact a plan to start your business.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level2 lfo14;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Preparing a business plan<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level2 lfo14;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Business structure and ownership<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level2 lfo14;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Financial assumptions and projects<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level2 lfo14;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Marketing<o:p></o:p></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#343434;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level2 lfo14;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Financing alternatives<o:p></o:p></span></b></li></ul>
</ol>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Register now
<a href="http://www.houstontech.org/university927"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">here</span></b></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Event Date: Friday, September 27, 2013 &nbsp; Event Start Time:7:30 AM &nbsp; Event End Time:3:30 PM<br>
Event Location: 2200 NASA Road 1 Houston, TX 77058<br>
<br>
<a href="http://events.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCToday/eventInfo.cfm?id=17537"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Add to Calendar</span></b></a><br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:eboatman@houstontech.org"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">Evelyn Boatman</span></b></a>
</span><span class="applelinksblack"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:#343434">281-244-8271</span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">
<a href="http://www.HoustonTech.org"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">http://www.HoustonTech.org</span></b></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="#the_top"><b><span style="color:#336699;text-decoration:none">[top]</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<td style="border:solid #ACACAC 1.0pt;background:#F6F9FE;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt" id="disclaimer">
<p style="text-align:justify;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee
may submit articles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#343434">Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;vertical-align:baseline">
No virus found in this message.<br>
Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com"><a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a></a><br>
Version: 2013.0.3408 / Virus Database: 3222/6674 - Release Date: 09/17/13<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/ntv">NASA TV:</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">2 pm Central (3 EDT) – File of E37/38 crew activities &amp; Soyuz processing in Baikonur<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Human Spaceflight News</span></strong><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Thursday – September 19, 2013</span></strong><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:black"><img border="0" width="408" height="615" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image003.jpg@01CEB505.2FCB2730" alt="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2822/9805730524_a7e9635e1d_o.jpg"></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Antares delivers Cygnus to orbit on a first-ever ISS mission from Virginia (Bill Ingalls)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">HEADLINES AND LEADS</span></u></strong><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital launches cargo ship on maiden flight to station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Cygnus spacecraft powered up, operating normally<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">William Harwood - CBS News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In a critical test flight for NASA's space station program, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket making only its second flight blasted off from the Virginia coast Wednesday, lofting an unmanned cargo ship on its maiden flight to
the international lab complex. The demonstration mission is a critical test run for Orbital to prove the company's new rocket and Cygnus cargo ship can execute an autonomous rendezvous with the space station and, if necessary, carry out an abort if something
goes wrong. If the four-day trip to the station is successful, Orbital will be clear to begin routine cargo delivery missions later this year, joining Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in a commercial program intended to make up for the retirement
of the space shuttle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">2nd private company rockets toward space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Marcia Dunn - Associated Press<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A commercial cargo ship made its successful debut Wednesday, rocketing toward the International Space Station and doubling the number of NASA's private suppliers for the high-flying lab. Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its first-ever
supply ship from Virginia's Eastern Shore, the departing point for a NASA moonshot less than two weeks ago. "Look out ISS, here we come," the company said in a tweet. The capsule named Cygnus - bearing 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and goodies for the astronauts
- is due at the orbiting outpost on Sunday, following four days of testing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences' new cargo ship blasts off for space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Irene Klotz - Reuters<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">An unmanned Antares rocket blasted off from a seaside launch pad in Virginia on Wednesday, sending a cargo capsule to the International Space Station. The 13-story rocket, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., lifted off at 10:58 a.m.
EDT from the state-owned Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The two-stage booster, making its second flight, soared southeast over the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a pillar of smoke and flame visible from New York City to South Carolina as
it headed into orbit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launches To ISS After Weather Worry<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The second U.S. commercial cargo carrier launched this morning on its inaugural voyage to the International Space Station, clearing its new launch pad here after mission managers overcame a potential range safety issue. Liftoff of the
Orbital Science Corp. Antares launch vehicle, with its pressurized Cygnus cargo capsule on top, came at 10:58 a.m. EDT to start a four-day demonstration mission to the ISS. Orbital is working to join SpaceX as a NASA commercial cargo carrier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launch Sets Up Engine Search<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. has enough hardware on hand for the 10 commercial cargo missions it has contracted with NASA, and is already looking ahead to the day when it runs out of the surplus Soviet-era Russian engines it uses to power
its new Antares launch vehicle. The Dulles, Va.-based company is on the way to completing its second NASA mission with the safe launch Wednesday of its second and final demonstration mission with the Antares, this one carrying pressurized cargo to the International
Space Station in the first full-up Cygnus cargo vehicle to fly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Successful launch for Antares rocket; Cygnus on way to space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Joel Achenbach - Washington Post<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It's not that big of a rocket, really, and the cargo in the spacecraft is relatively mundane — about 1,500 pounds of clothes, food, water, chocolate for the chocolate-craving astronauts, and so on. But the rocket that blasted off at
10:58 a.m. Wednesday from a small island on the Virginia coast is carrying a heavy burden of expectations. Dulles-based Orbital Sciences launched its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket on a supply mission to the international space station, and a great
many people at NASA and in the broader space community were watching.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences launches capsule to International Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">W.J. Hennigan - Los Angeles Times<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A commercially built spacecraft packed with cargo is now hurtling at 17,500 mph through outer space on course to rendezvous with the International Space Station. The capsule was launched Wednesday atop a 13-story rocket off the coast
of Virginia at 7:58 a.m. PDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The two-stage Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., are part of a demonstration resupply mission for NASA.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences Launches Cargo Capsule for Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Company Hopes to Become Second Commercial Entity to Supply Orbiting Lab.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Andy Pasztor - Wall Street Journal<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. launched an unmanned capsule on its maiden voyage to the international space station, hoping to become the second commercial entity to transport cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The 40-meter Antares rocket, which
blasted off without a hitch Wednesday morning from Wallops Island off the Virginia coast, carried the company's Cygnus cargo vehicle, filled with about 680 kilograms of food and other supplies. The mission is intended to demonstrate the capsule's ability to
communicate, maneuver and safely link up with the station. If all goes well, Cygnus will arrive Sunday, remain docked for a month and then fire its rockets to break away from the space station and burn up as the capsule falls through the atmosphere.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares off; Cygnus to berth with ISS Sunday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Crew will use robotic arm to capture craft<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Tamara Dietrich - Hampton Roads Daily Press<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares rocket burst from the launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on the Eastern Shore Wednesday morning in a milestone effort to prove it can boost a new commercial cargo spacecraft to berth with the International
Space Station. The launch was delayed one day from its scheduled launch Tuesday by a bad communications cable, but officials at NASA and rocket-maker Orbital Sciences Corp. said afterward it was worth the wait. "It operated flawlessly," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager
of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, told reporters. "This is another historic day for space flight."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Privately run spacecraft en route to ISS docking<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Orbital Science cargo ship must pass tests first<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">James Dean - Florida Today<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A new U.S. cargo ship is chasing down the International Space Station after a successful launch of its maiden flight Wednesday morning from Virginia's Eastern Shore. Orbital Sciences Corp.'s unmanned Cygnus is on course to reach the
outpost early Sunday and become the second privately operated vehicle to accomplish that feat, along with SpaceX's Dragon capsule, which launches from Cape Canaveral. "This is the way of the future," said Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president.
"This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in order to maintain a robust space program, and I think we're demonstrating it can be done."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">New private rocket launches to space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A U.S. spacecraft carrying about 1,300 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station reached orbit Wednesday morning after a trouble-free launch — marking the start of a new chapter in NASA's effort to outsource routine missions
to the private sector. The two-stage Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences of Virginia blasted off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 10:58 a.m. carrying a cargo capsule expected to rendezvous with the station Sunday. Less than an hour after
liftoff, the Cygnus spacecraft deployed its solar arrays — an indication the launch went well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus cargo ship flies for first time, heading for space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Alan Boyle - <a href="http://NBCNews.com"><a href="http://NBCNews.com">NBCNews.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A new kind of commercial spaceship took to the air for the first time, with the launch of Orbital Sciences Corp's Cygnus cargo craft toward the International Space Station from a Virginia launch pad on Wednesday. Orbital's two-stage
Antares rocket lifted off at 10:58 a.m. ET from Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's seaside Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ascent could theoretically be seen from a swath of the East Coast stretching from New York to the
Carolinas, although partly cloudy skies at the launch pad reduced visibility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus on way to station, Orbital Sciences on way to collecting from NASA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dan Leone - Space News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. on Sept. 18 blasted its Cygnus cargo capsule toward the international space station (ISS) aboard the Antares rocket, marking the start of a demonstration delivery mission that, if successful, will clear the way
for the Dulles, Va., company to start collecting on a $1.9 billion NASA contract. In its maiden flight to space, Cygnus separated cleanly from the second stage of Antares — which has now flown twice, counting a demo launch in April — at about 11:08 a.m. EDT,
10 minutes after liftoff from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a state-operated facility at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus spaceship thunders away on shakedown cruise<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Stephen Clark - <a href="http://SpaceflightNow.com"><a href="http://SpaceflightNow.com">SpaceflightNow.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A privately-owned spaceship built by Orbital Sciences Corp. made an Earth-rattling trip into orbit from Virginia on Wednesday, starting a four-day chase of the International Space Station to close out a nearly $700 million NASA program
to foster a fleet of commercial spaceships to replace capabilities lost with the space shuttle's retirement. The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft, fitted with an Italian-built pressurized cargo carrier, blasted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT) aboard an Antares
rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA hails private Cygnus spacecraft 'picture perfect' 1st launch to station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Tariq Malik - <a href="http://Space.com"><a href="http://Space.com">Space.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The mighty roar of a commercial rocket launching a brand-new private cargo ship on a stunning debut test flight from Virginia's Eastern shore Wednesday has NASA overjoyed and the spaceship's builder beaming with pride. An Antares rocket
built by Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched into orbit from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT), carrying the company's first robotic Cygnus spacecraft on a critical demonstration flight to the International Space Station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences Launches Test Flight to Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Jonathan Salant - Bloomberg News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. (ORB) successfully launched a rocket in an attempt to send an unmanned commercial craft to the International Space Station. The company's new Antares (ANT) rocket carrying the Cygnus capsule lifted off today at
10:58 a.m. from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The scheduled 36-day-long mission is the final test before Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital can make regular cargo deliveries under its $1.9
billion NASA contract. Orbital's flight is its first attempt to fly to the space station, an orbiting research laboratory that conducts experiments in physics, meteorology, biology and other fields. In an earlier test, the company successfully launched a rocket
and delivered a mock cargo ship into space.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launch Marks Start of Orbital Sciences Space Station Missions<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Wayne Rash <a href="http://-eWEEK.com"><a href="http://-eWEEK.com">-eWEEK.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The sound rolled louder than thunder as the Antares rocket rose majestically from Virginia's Launch Complex 0A on Wallops Island at 10:58 a.m. Sept. 18. The Virginia-owned Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch facility was being used
by Orbital Sciences to launch an Antares cargo launch vehicle to the International Space Station less than two weeks after the same launch facility launched a rocket to the moon. The Antares launch vehicle carried a Cygnus spacecraft that was loaded with nearly
1,500 pounds of supplies for the Space Station. The spacecraft will first perform a number of maneuvers to demonstrate that it can approach the Space Station safely. Once that is accomplished, the spacecraft will fly in formation with the Space Station, which
will then haul it to a docking port using a robotic arm. The docking maneuver will take place early Sept. 22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Picture Perfect Blastoff Launches Commercial Space Race<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Ken Kremer - Universe Today<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The new 'Commercial Space Era' received a resounding boost today when a privately developed Antares rocket lofting the first ever Cygnus commercial cargo resupply craft thundered to space from America's newest launch pad at NASA Wallops
along the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The history making launch marks the first time that a spacecraft launched from Virginia is blazing a path to the International Space Station (ISS) – thereby scoring a milestone achievement to keep the orbiting lab complex
stocked up with supplies and science experiments from American soil. This is the maiden flight of Cygnus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Smooth Sailing, Cygnus:<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital's New Cargo Ship Rockets to Space on First ISS Supply Mission<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Ben Evans - <a href="http://AmericaSpace.com"><a href="http://AmericaSpace.com">AmericaSpace.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Less than two weeks after Pad 0B reverberated to the roar of the first Minotaur V rocket, carrying NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) on its journey to the Moon, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on
Wallops Island, Va., made history again today when Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched its first Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. Liftoff of the 133-foot-tall, two-stage Antares rocket—Orbital's first cryogenic launch vehicle
and the largest booster the company has ever built—occurred from neighboring Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m. EDT. The launch was postponed slightly past its 10:50 a.m. target, due to several technical, human, and weather issues. Within 10 minutes of liftoff, the Antares
had delivered Cygnus perfectly into orbit, and the spacecraft is currently in the process of unfurling its twin gallium arsenide solar arrays and communications appendages, prior to a rendezvous and berthing with the space station on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA looks to post-2020 International Space Station operations<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">William Harwood - CBS News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Barring a catastrophic malfunction or damaging impacts from space debris, NASA should be able to keep the International Space Station (ISS) in operation at least through 2020 and, with steady funding, careful planning and a bit of luck,
through 2028 -- the 30th anniversary of the first module's launch -- officials say. But reduced power from degraded solar arrays and other crippling consequences of decades spent in the extreme environment of space will slowly but surely take their toll and
the cost-benefit ratio eventually will tilt in favor of abandonment and a fiery controlled re-entry. While the engineering and management challenges associated with keeping the station operational are daunting, ISS program manager Michael Suffredini says they
should be doable, as long as NASA has the resources to build spare parts, pay for cargo launches and provide transportation for U.S. astronauts, either aboard U.S. commercial spacecraft or Russian Soyuz capsules.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA's Low-Tech Secrets<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>A legacy of utilizing legacy technology<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Terry Dunn - <a href="http://Tested.com"><a href="http://Tested.com">Tested.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i>(Dunn worked for 15 years as a NASA contractor at NASA Johnson Space Center, and now lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he works as an engineer in the plastics industry)<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Since its inception in 1958, NASA has fostered a very high-tech, cutting-edge public image. Surely astronauts commute about Houston in flying cars and stash concealed ray guns under those blue jumpsuits, right? As a kid in central Florida,
watching space shuttle launches from my backyard, that Buck Rogers aura was the only side of NASA that I ever knew. You can imagine my surprise when I came to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in 1997 as a budding engineer and found a decidedly less futuristic,
almost anachronistic side of the agency. I do not intend my observation as a slight against NASA…actually quite the contrary. Spaceflight has always been a balance between managing risk and fostering innovation. Whereas unmanned, scientific missions are more
apt to dabble in pioneering technologies, programs that send humans to orbit have embraced whatever proven technologies are feasible and available. Strapping yourself to a rocket ship has enough intrinsic risk, so why not hedge the odds where you can?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Craig Hlavaty - Houston Chronicle<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA is offering you the chance to help assist in the future of manned spaceflight, and all you have to do is confine yourself to a hospital bed for three months or so. The space agency has an ongoing bed-rest study and they need test
subjects. Who wouldn't want to lay in bed for a 15 weeks and paid for doing it? But there are plenty of catches, according to researchers Ronita Cromwell and John Neigut with the Flight Analogs Project, based out of the Johnson Space Center.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">China's space station to open for foreign peers<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Zhao Lei - China Daily<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">China is willing to provide training and open the Chinese space station to foreign astronauts, senior space flight officials said.&nbsp; "We would like to train astronauts from other countries and organizations that have such a demand, and
we would be glad to provide trips to foreign astronauts," said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency. "We will also welcome foreign astronauts who have received our training to work in our future space station." Yang, China's first astronaut,
who went into space in 2003, said many countries submitted proposals to the Chinese government during the development of the space station, hoping China would help train their astronauts and then send them to the station to conduct scientific experiments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Giant leap for smarter government<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Missions will deliver at one-third shuttle's cost<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Matt Reed - Florida Today (Commentary)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If you love U.S. spaceflight but shudder at the cost, Wednesday's launch of an Orbital Sciences rocket to supply to the International Space Station should make you feel good. Although a small step for America's space program, the smooth-as-silk
launch from Virginia represented part of a giant leap for NASA contracting and free enterprise. Brevard's "home team," SpaceX, represents the other part, having successfully launched twice from Cape Canaveral. For $800 million — roughly the cost of one space
shuttle launch in its final years — NASA paid the two companies to research, build and launch two new rocket systems capable of delivering food and gear to the orbiting station. Cargo was top priority, post-shuttle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">__________<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="section1"><span style="color:windowtext"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="section1"><strong><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:windowtext">COMPLETE STORIES</span></u></strong><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital launches cargo ship on maiden flight to station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Cygnus spacecraft powered up, operating normally<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">William Harwood - CBS News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In a critical test flight for NASA's space station program, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket making only its second flight blasted off from the Virginia coast Wednesday, lofting an unmanned cargo ship on its maiden flight to
the international lab complex.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The demonstration mission is a critical test run for Orbital to prove the company's new rocket and Cygnus cargo ship can execute an autonomous rendezvous with the space station and, if necessary, carry out an abort if something goes
wrong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If the four-day trip to the station is successful, Orbital will be clear to begin routine cargo delivery missions later this year, joining Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in a commercial program intended to make up for the
retirement of the space shuttle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Using recycled engines originally built for Russia's moon program, the Antares first stage roared to life at 10:58 a.m. EDT (GMT-4), quickly pushing the 133-toot-tall rocket away from its launching stand at the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Island, Va., flight facility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Burning kerosene and liquid oxygen, the refurbished Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ-26 engines fired for nearly four minutes, boosting the rocket out of the dense lower atmosphere and into the orbital plane of the space station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dramatic television views from a camera mounted on the rocket showed the Virginia coastline receding in the background and then the limb of the Earth as the spacecraft accelerated toward orbit. A few moments later, the spent first stage
could be seen falling away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares second stage, powered by an Alliant Techsystems solid-fuel motor, then took over, igniting at an altitude of about 116 miles and firing for two-and-a-half minutes to put the spacecraft into an initial orbit with a high point,
or apogee, of about 180 miles and a low point, or perigee, of around 160 miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A few moments later, the cargo ship was released from the spent second stage motor and its two solar panels unfolded as planned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Culbertson, a former shuttle commander and Orbital vice president, said telemetry showed the Cygnus was healthy, its solar arrays were pointed at the sun and its computers and guidance systems were operating normally.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is a very exciting day for us and as you can imagine, there are a lot of&nbsp; happy people in the control center, a lot of happy people all over the Orbital campuses and a lof of people here at Wallops are smiling," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The spacecraft is working really well right now. ... The solar arrays have deployed, we're getting good power from them, the (propulsion) system has activated, we're getting good, stable control of the spacecraft and (it's) getting
ready to execute the maneuvers that will take it to the International Space Station in about four days."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If all goes well, the Cygnus will approach the station from behind and below, pulling up to the outpost in stages as flight controllers test communications links, check out the spacecraft's GPS navigation system and test abort procedures
before clearing the ship for final approach to the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Assuming no major problems develop, the spacecraft will pull up to within about 30 feet of the lab complex around 7:15 a.m. Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, operating the station's robot arm, will lock onto a grapple fixture and the spacecraft will be pulled in for berthing at the Earth-facing port of the forward Harmony module. A similar berthing technique
is used to attach SpaceX Dragon capsules and Japanese HTV cargo ships.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's a new vehicle and you ... have to expect that something could go wrong and you have to be ready for all scenarios," space station flight engineer Karen Nyberg told The Associated Press.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"But we're expecting it to be very similar to what we did (to berth) the HTV (in August) and we're actually really, really excited about it and looking forward to it."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For the demonstration flight, the Cygnus is carrying about 1,500 pounds of food, clothing and other non-critical supplies and equipment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The demonstration flight is the final requirement in a $288 million contract with NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program, which funded development of two commercial cargo carriers to take over U.S. space
station logistics in the wake of the space shuttle's retirement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Assuming no major problems develop, Orbital Sciences will press ahead with operational space station resupply flights under a separate contract calling for delivery of 40,000 pounds of cargo over at least eight missions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We'll be attached to the station for approximately 30 days, and then 47 days after deorbit, we expect to launch ORB-1, as we call it, our first contract mission," said Culbertson. ""So we are deep in preparation for that one already
and going through the testing required."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX holds a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to provide 12 cargo flights to the station for delivery of more than 44,000 pounds of equipment and supplies. A separate $396 million contract covered initial test and demonstration flights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket with a dummy payload in 2010. The company then launched two test flights, sending company-built Dragon cargo ships to the station, and two operational resupply missions, the most recent
flight in March.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences tested its new Antares rocket last April, successfully launching a dummy payload and setting the stage for this weeks debut of the Cygnus cargo ship.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's time for us really to start having flights on a regular basis and expect that the next one will be there," said space station Program Manager Mike Suffredini. "So I'm looking at this next year, 2014, to be the year where we really
settle in, where we have regular orbital flights and regular SpaceX flights and that we actually see them within a few weeks of when we expect to have them there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"And that's important because (we need) to reduce the amount of up mass we have for logistics, which we can do if we have a consistent supply chain, and really fill these vehicles up with research. That's the big transition we have to
make in the next year now that we have Orbital flying as well."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">2nd private company rockets toward space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Marcia Dunn - Associated Press<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A commercial cargo ship made its successful debut Wednesday, rocketing toward the International Space Station and doubling the number of NASA's private suppliers for the high-flying lab.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its first-ever supply ship from Virginia's Eastern Shore, the departing point for a NASA moonshot less than two weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Look out ISS, here we come," the company said in a tweet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capsule named Cygnus - bearing 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and goodies for the astronauts - is due at the orbiting outpost on Sunday, following four days of testing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Virginia-based Orbital Sciences is only the second business to attempt a shipment like this. The California-based SpaceX company has been delivering station supplies for more than a year under a NASA contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If you needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now in Virginia," NASA associate administrator Robert Lightfoot said at a post-launch news conference.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences' unmanned Antares rocket - named for the bright red star - blasted into a clear sky from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. A test launch in April went well. So did this one, with a camera on the rocket providing dramatic
views of the coastline. The entire commercial effort dates back five years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It was Wallops' second high-profile launch this month. On Sept. 6, the company took part in a NASA moonshot that dazzled skywatchers along the East Coast. Wednesday's late-morning liftoff, while at a much more convenient hour, was not
nearly as visible because of the daylight. The rocket exhaust plume, at least, was visible from Washington, D.C.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The three space station residents, circling 260 miles high, watched the launch via a live link provided by Mission Control in Houston.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Great launch! Excited for Cygnus arrival on Sunday!" space station astronaut Karen Nyberg said in a tweet. She's expecting a fresh stash of chocolate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Nyberg and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano will use the space station's robot arm to grab Cygnus from orbit and attach it to the space station. Also on board is a Russian. The crew will double in size next week when another American
and two Russians lift off aboard a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA is paying Orbital Sciences and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, to keep the space station stocked after the retirement of the shuttles. The other countries involved in the station also make deliveries.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The bigger SpaceX Dragon capsule, which is launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., has the advantage of returning items to Earth. It parachutes into the Pacific off the Southern California coast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus will be filled with station trash and cut loose for a fiery destruction upon re-entry, following a monthlong visit. That's how the Russian, European and Japanese supply ships wind up, too - as incinerators.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We categorize it as disposable cargo," said Orbital Sciences' executive vice president, Frank Culbertson. "Others may call it trash."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If all goes well, Orbital Sciences hopes to launch another Cygnus in December with about 2,800 pounds of supplies. That will be the first true operational mission under a $1.9 billion contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The SpaceX contract is worth $1.6 billion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX is working to modify its Dragon capsule for space station crews, so NASA doesn't have to keep paying tens of millions of dollars to the Russians per ticket. Orbital Sciences envisions strictly non-human payloads for the Cygnus
- but not necessarily just in Earth's backyard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We'd be happy to help a mission go to Mars," said Culbertson, a former astronaut who lived on the space station in 2001.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capsule was named in honor of G. David Low, a former astronaut and Orbital Sciences executive who died in 2008. He flew on three shuttle missions but not to the space station. This was a way for Low to get there after all these years,
Culbertson said after the launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences' new cargo ship blasts off for space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Irene Klotz - Reuters<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">An unmanned Antares rocket blasted off from a seaside launch pad in Virginia on Wednesday, sending a cargo capsule to the International Space Station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The 13-story rocket, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., lifted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT from the state-owned Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The two-stage booster, making its second flight, soared southeast over the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a pillar of smoke and flame visible from New York City to South Carolina as it headed into orbit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Perched on top of the rocket was Orbital Sciences' new Cygnus freighter, one of two robotic spaceships developed in partnership with NASA to fly cargo to the space station following the space shuttles' retirement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">On Sunday, the capsule was expected to reach the space station, a $100 billion research complex that flies about 250 miles above Earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is a very exciting day for us," Orbital Sciences executive vice president Frank Culbertson told reporters after launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's difficult to get a rocket off of a launch pad, no matter how many times you do it," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, which began work about 18 months before Orbital Sciences, has made three trips to the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA invested $686 million in Orbital Sciences and SpaceX and awarded the firms contracts totaling $3.5 billion to fly cargo to the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This mission is intended to show Orbital Sciences' ability to transport cargo to the space station. A successful flight may boost its chances for additional NASA work, and could attract commercial and scientific customers for the Antares
rocket and Cygnus capsule.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We have a lot interest from people who are waiting to make sure we do, in fact, succeed with this before they place a firm order," Culbertson said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus capsules are not designed to return to Earth. Since they can stay in orbit for extended periods of time, Orbital Sciences envisions secondary missions after the capsules depart the station, as well as dedicated flights for customers
besides NASA.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">On Wednesday, the rocket placed the Cygnus capsule, loaded with about 1,543 pounds (700 kg) of food, clothing and other supplies, into orbit about 170 miles above Earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The spacecraft then unfurled its solar panel wings. Data relayed from the Cygnus showed its computers and positioning system were operating as expected.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Over the next four days, the capsule will demonstrate its ability to maneuver in space and communicate with the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If all goes as planned, NASA would clear Orbital Sciences to maneuver Cygnus as close as about 30 feet from the station on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Astronauts aboard the space station would use a robotic crane to pluck the capsule from orbit and attach it to a berthing port.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus is expected to remain docked at the station until October 22. About two days later, it is expected to fire braking rockets to leave orbit and fall back into Earth's atmosphere, burning up in the process.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launches To ISS After Weather Worry<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The second U.S. commercial cargo carrier launched this morning on its inaugural voyage to the International Space Station, clearing its new launch pad here after mission managers overcame a potential range safety issue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Liftoff of the Orbital Science Corp. Antares launch vehicle, with its pressurized Cygnus cargo capsule on top, came at 10:58 a.m. EDT to start a four-day demonstration mission to the ISS. Orbital is working to join SpaceX as a NASA commercial
cargo carrier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Low clouds lay offshore of the seaside launch pad where the first Antares test flight lifted off in April, but a larger concern was a pressure inversion that posed a threat to four nearby houses. Had the rocket exploded early in ascent,
there would have been a danger of the blast overpressure breaking windows. Four houses were evacuated to clear the range.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">At ignition the rocket's two AJ26 kerosene-fueled engines – surplus Soviet-era power plants upgraded by Aerojet Rocketdyne – generated 720,000 lb. thrust and pushed the 13-story-tall rocket off the pad. At 3:53 into the flight the first
stage shut down as planned, and separated 5 sec. later. The fairing dropped away at 5:20 mission elapsed time (MET) to expose the Italian-built Cygnus capsule and its service module, supplied by Orbital Sciences. The interstate followed 5 sec. later, and the
solid-fuel ATK Castor 30 upper stage ignited at 5:29 MET for a 153-sec. burn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Spacecraft separation came at 10:02 MET, leaving the Cygnus in an initial orbit of 151-by-186 mi., inclined 51.6 deg. to catch the space station. The vehicle will gradually maneuver toward the station over the next four days, demonstrating
that it can be controlled safely before moving close enough to be grappled by station crew with the robotic arm and berthed to a common berthing mechanism.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Successful completion of the mission will clear Orbital to begin fulfilling its eight-flight, $1.9 billion commercial resupply service contract with NASA. The first of those flights is planned before the end of the year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launch Sets Up Engine Search<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Morring, Jr. - Aviation Week<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. has enough hardware on hand for the 10 commercial cargo missions it has contracted with NASA, and is already looking ahead to the day when it runs out of the surplus Soviet-era Russian engines it uses to power
its new Antares launch vehicle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Dulles, Va.-based company is on the way to completing its second NASA mission with the safe launch Wednesday of its second and final demonstration mission with the Antares, this one carrying pressurized cargo to the International
Space Station in the first full-up Cygnus cargo vehicle to fly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If all goes well, and the Cygnus is able to demonstrate safe handling before reaching the ISS on Sunday morning, Orbital will be ready as early as Dec. 8-21 to begin fulfilling its eight-flight, $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Service
(CRS) to deliver bulk food, clothing and equipment to the station. The mission launched Wednesday completes the company's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) spacecraft-development agreement with NASA. It carries about 700 kg. of supplies, while
early CRS flights will be able to handle as much as 2,000 kg of pressurized cargo, and an enhanced Cygnus would have a 2,700-kg capability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president, told reporters here after the Sept. 18 launch that Aerojet has another 16 AJ-26 engines in stock beyond the 20 Orbital has under subcontract for its NASA COTS and CRS missions. Aerojet
modified the surplus Russian Nk-33 engines for the Antares role, and Orbital hopes to use them to meet the launch services market originally carried by the Delta II medium-lift launch vehicle, in addition to the NASA contracts that expire in 2016.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Once the old Russian engines run out, Culbertson said, Orbital has plans to find a replacement that will enable it to continue flying Antares.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We're looking at what the options are, who has engines that might be compatible and what's available and how long would it take to develop and/or order them," Culbertson said. "So we've got a very active effort going on."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">That effort includes discussions with "everybody who says they make an engine," he said. "We know that sometime after 2016 we need to start looking at other alternatives."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Meanwhile, Orbital controllers were off to a good start on the COTS demonstration. Culbertson said the Antares placed the Cygnus in a 289-by-257-km orbit, slightly above targets. The solar arrays deployed and began providing electrical
power, and all valves opened to pressurize the propulsion system that will be used to pursue the ISS, which was over the Indian Ocean at the 10:58 a.m. EDT liftoff from the Eastern Shore of Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">After a series of thruster burns to raise the orbit toward the station, the controllers plan a demonstration of the Cygnus' ability to navigate using the Global Positioning System. Culbertson said the vehicle will approach the station
and back away twice to demonstrate safe handling before going into the final "R-bar" approach from directly below it. The vehicle is scheduled to hold itself autonomously at a range of 250 meters before moving in close enough for station crewmembers working
in the cupola to grapple it with the robotic arm and attach it to the nadir common berthing mechanism on Node 2.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The crew will open the hatch, unload the cargo and begin filling the vehicle with trash and unneeded gear that will ride to a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific east of New Zealand after about a month at the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Successful launch for Antares rocket; Cygnus on way to space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Joel Achenbach - Washington Post<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It's not that big of a rocket, really, and the cargo in the spacecraft is relatively mundane — about 1,500 pounds of clothes, food, water, chocolate for the chocolate-craving astronauts, and so on. But the rocket that blasted off at
10:58 a.m. Wednesday from a small island on the Virginia coast is carrying a heavy burden of expectations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dulles-based Orbital Sciences launched its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket on a supply mission to the international space station, and a great many people at NASA and in the broader space community were watching.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Go Antares. Go Cygnus," a flight controller said just moments before ignition of the unmanned rocket on a splendid day at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, where gentle ocean waves were hitting the beach a stone's
throw from the launch pad.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch was by the book. A few minutes into the flight, Orbital tweeted: "Pressures remain strong. Our favorite word 'nominal.' "<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This is a "demonstration" mission to prove that Orbital has the hardware and know-how to send cargo to the station, a feat that requires autonomous docking and other delicate orbital maneuvers. The Cygnus spacecraft will reach the space
station in a few days and remain docked until late October. It is not a reusable spacecraft, so when it leaves orbit, it will crash into the South Pacific.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A successful mission for Orbital would greatly please NASA officials, who would like to have more options for supplying the orbital laboratory.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Another company, SpaceX, has flown three cargo missions to the station and has a $1.6 billion contract for a dozen deliveries in the coming years. But NASA doesn't want to rely on just one provider of such a critical service. The continued
operation of the space station requires regular and dependable delivery of "upmass," in space industry jargon. Orbital has a $1.9 billion contract for eight cargo missions to the station over four years, with the first launch scheduled for December.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">First, though, it has to get through this final demonstration mission, which is part of a separate agreement with NASA.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"A lot of people have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it," said Frank L. Culbertson, an Orbital executive vice president and former astronaut.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Culbertson said Orbital has potential customers waiting to see how this launch turns out. The 135-foot-tall Antares rocket made a successful test flight earlier this year. Although Orbital has a long track record of successful launches,
this is the company's first liquid-fueled rocket.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"You're always nervous about the first two launches of any new system," Culbertson said before Wednesday's launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">At the moment, U.S. astronauts commute to the space station solely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Orbital was not selected as a finalist in the competition to carry crew to orbit. Three companies — SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada — are
hoping to win that contract, and NASA hopes to have American astronauts launched on American rockets by 2017.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Hovering over the industry is the unresolved question of space-station funding. NASA and its international partners have agreed to fund the station through 2020. NASA and the commercial spaceflight companies would like to see the life
of the station extended. A NASA official said last week that a decision on whether to extend the station should be made no later than 2014, so that the private sector will have confidence in the vitality of that market and will keep making investments in future
space operations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA's long-term goal is to help the commercial spaceflight industry take over the relatively routine missions to Low Earth Orbit. These "commercial" contracts are unlike traditional government contracts. The private companies offer
a fixed price for their services and assume more risk and engineering responsibility. The idea is to let NASA focus on complex deep-space missions while also continuing to contribute to the operation of the space station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences launches capsule to International Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">W.J. Hennigan - Los Angeles Times<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A commercially built spacecraft packed with cargo is now hurtling at 17,500 mph through outer space on course to rendezvous with the International Space Station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capsule was launched Wednesday atop a 13-story rocket off the coast of Virginia at 7:58 a.m. PDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The two-stage Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., are part of a demonstration resupply mission for NASA.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The spacecraft will deliver about 1,500 pounds of cargo, including food and clothing, to the space station's Expedition 37 crew, who will grapple and attach the capsule using the orbiting outpost's robotic arm as early as Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We are very pleased with the early operations of the COTS demonstration mission, beginning with another on-the-mark launch by Antares," Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson said in a statement. "The Cygnus spacecraft appears to
be fully healthy and operating as expected during this early phase of its mission."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It is the Dulles, Va., company's first trip to the space station. Orbital needs to prove to NASA that it can begin fulfilling a $1.9-billion contract for eight flights to transport cargo to the space station in coming years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The test is another crucial step in NASA's plan to privatize space missions. Now that the space shuttle fleet has been retired, NASA is eager to give private industry the job of carrying cargo and crew members, in hopes of cutting costs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Meanwhile, the space agency will focus on deep-space missions to land probes on asteroids and Mars.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">On Wednesday, it was a picture-perfect launch from Wallops with the Atlantic Ocean lapping against the shoreline in the near distance. The event was webcast on NASA TV.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">After 10 minutes, the Cygnus spacecraft had separated from Antares' upper stage and entered its intended orbit. The capsule later deployed its solar arrays to provide it with the electrical power needed to command the spacecraft.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The current test is to demonstrate Cygnus' cargo transportation system to reliably deliver cargo to the space station. It could lead to regularly scheduled missions beginning as early as December.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus will carry out a series of tests and maneuvers over a four-day period to demonstrate its readiness to dock with the station. Rendezvous is now planned for Sunday. It will also be webcast on
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/ntv">NASA TV</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capsule is set to remain attached to the space station for 30 days before departing with up to 1,750 pounds of disposal cargo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If successful, Orbital will be the second commercial company to ever dock at the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The other company, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., has resupplied the space station in two missions. The Hawthorne firm, better known as SpaceX, most recently pulled off the feat in March.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences Launches Cargo Capsule for Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Company Hopes to Become Second Commercial Entity to Supply Orbiting Lab.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Andy Pasztor - Wall Street Journal<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. launched an unmanned capsule on its maiden voyage to the international space station, hoping to become the second commercial entity to transport cargo to the orbiting laboratory.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The 40-meter Antares rocket, which blasted off without a hitch Wednesday morning from Wallops Island off the Virginia coast, carried the company's Cygnus cargo vehicle, filled with about 680 kilograms of food and other supplies. The
mission is intended to demonstrate the capsule's ability to communicate, maneuver and safely link up with the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If all goes well, Cygnus will arrive Sunday, remain docked for a month and then fire its rockets to break away from the space station and burn up as the capsule falls through the atmosphere.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The goal is for Orbital Sciences, based in Dulles, Va., to begin regular cargo deliveries to the station as early as December, under a $1.9 billion contract with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA's drive to outsource such resupply missions already has scored some early successes. Closely held Space Explorations Technologies Corp. of Hawthorne, Calif., last year became the first company to conduct commercial-cargo flights
into orbit. SpaceX, as it is called, has garnered world-wide attention for pioneering private deliveries of supplies into space. It now is focused on launching a more powerful booster and developing commercial taxis able to shuttle U.S. astronauts to and from
the space station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For Orbital, which has hit snags with slipped deadlines, budget overruns and years of technical problems, Wednesday's blastoff is the culmination of a more than $500 million bet on commercial cargo service. Private and public investment
in the Antares rocket, the capsule and the Virginia launch complex has topped $1 billion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In addition to building a two-stage launcher using legacy technology that relies on both liquid and solid fuel, Orbital developed the Cygnus capsule as an expendable vehicle with other potential uses besides serving the space station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Orbital's extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space," said NASA chief Charles Bolden Jr. A major test, however, will be whether Orbital is able to maintain
the ambitious launch schedule NASA envisions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Beyond staking Orbital Sciences' reputation and lucrative NASA contract on Wednesday's demonstration flight, David Thompson, the company's chairman and chief executive, has described Antares and its capsule as a catalyst to help transform
the company and position it for sustained growth despite shrinking Pentagon space budgets. Mr. Thompson and his team are betting that changes in commercial and civilian satellite projects will allow Antares and Cygnus to take advantage of new markets. A capsule,
among other things, could remain in orbit and carry out other missions after leaving the space station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Best known for focusing on smaller satellites and less-powerful rockets, Orbital Sciences also hopes eventually to become one of the leading global players in building and launching midsize satellites for commercial, military and scientific
uses.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The stakes also are high for NASA, which seeks to build on Wednesday's flight to create an alternative space-transportation system partly by using the recently completed East Coast launch complex. NASA aims to outsource transportation
into low-earth orbit to husband its resources for more-ambitious robotic and manned missions into deeper space.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences had a successful test launch of the rocket earlier this year. Cargo missions using its capsule had been supposed to begin in 2011.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences executives said both of the rocket's stages operated as designed. The main booster shut off at an altitude of about 180 kilometers. Cygnus subsequently separated from the second stage as planned, and the capsule's solar
arrays deployed as expected. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch prompted loud cheers and clapping in the control room monitoring the rocket's trajectory and systems. A second control room kept track of the capsule.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares off; Cygnus to berth with ISS Sunday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Crew will use robotic arm to capture craft<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Tamara Dietrich - Hampton Roads Daily Press<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares rocket burst from the launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on the Eastern Shore Wednesday morning in a milestone effort to prove it can boost a new commercial cargo spacecraft to berth with the International
Space Station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch was delayed one day from its scheduled launch Tuesday by a bad communications cable, but officials at NASA and rocket-maker Orbital Sciences Corp. said afterward it was worth the wait.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It operated flawlessly," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, told reporters. "This is another historic day for space flight."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If Virginia-based Orbital succeeds in berthing its new Cygnus cargo craft with the space station as scheduled early Sunday, it will become only the second commercial company in the world to do so, after California-based SpaceX made history
by ferrying payload to and from the station a year ago.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If we need tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration," said NASA associate administrator Robert M. Lightfoot Jr., "this is here, right now."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares launched at 10:58 a.m. as the public watched from the NASA Visitor Center on Wallops Island and dozens of media from around the U.S. and Europe documented it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus, carrying 1,300 pounds of clothes, food, tools and other non-essentials, is the heaviest commercial cargo ever to launch into orbit, said Frank Culbertson, Orbital's executive vice president.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital designed and built the Antares and Cygnus under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. Under COTS, NASA grants contracts and technical expertise to commercial companies to develop ways to transport
space cargo, freeing up NASA to focus on human exploration of deep space.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is the way of the future," Culbertson said. "This is the way we're going to have to operate going forward in order to have a robust space program."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch is only the first step. Over the next several days, he said, Orbital will put the Cygnus through its paces, testing its systems and capabilities "so we can start chasing the International Space Station. Then fly below (it)
when we catch up with it."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">From there, the station crew will use a robotic arm to capture the craft, then begin installing the capsule on the bottom side of the station's Harmony module.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It's scheduled to begin a return trip toward the end of October carrying waste from the station to make a "destructive entry" so nearly all its payload will burn up in the atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital and SpaceX won competitive Commercial Resupply Services contracts with NASA to ferry supplies and equipment to the space station and offload its waste or other payload.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's contract is for a $1.9 billion to make eight resupply missions, hauling 20 tons of cargo on each trip.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Want to watch?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For NASA Television coverage of Sunday's docking of the Cygnus spacecraft at the International Space Station, go to
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/ntv"><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/ntv">http://www.nasa.gov/ntv</a></a> Coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capture is scheduled for about 7:17 a.m., while installing the capsule is set to begin around 9 a.m.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Privately run spacecraft en route to ISS docking<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Orbital Science cargo ship must pass tests first<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">James Dean - Florida Today<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A new U.S. cargo ship is chasing down the International Space Station after a successful launch of its maiden flight Wednesday morning from Virginia's Eastern Shore.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp.'s unmanned Cygnus is on course to reach the outpost early Sunday and become the second privately operated vehicle to accomplish that feat, along with SpaceX's Dragon capsule, which launches from Cape Canaveral.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is the way of the future," said Frank Culbertson, Orbital executive vice president.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in order to maintain a robust space program, and I think we're demonstrating it can be done."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The demonstration mission is the final step in a public-private partnership under which NASA has helped Orbital and SpaceX develop rockets and spacecraft to resupply the station after the space shuttle's retirement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The space agency provided advice and a combined $684 million to the two companies, including up to $288 million for Dulles, Va.-based Orbital.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's 13-story Antares rocket blasted off at 10:58 a.m. from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island to start what NASA called a picture-perfect flight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The rocket dropped Cygnus in orbit 10 minutes later, and the spacecraft quickly deployed its power-generating solar arrays and activated thrusters and navigation systems.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The status is all great," said Culbertson.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, said Wednesday's launch represented "another historic day for commercial spaceflight" while cautioning that many challenges lay ahead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"There's still a lot to be done," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The nearly 17-foot Cygnus over the next several days must pass tests of its maneuvering and communications systems while raising its orbit and catching up to the station 260 miles above Earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Only then will NASA be comfortable it is safe to approach the station and its three-person crew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, assisted by American Karen Nyberg, plans to capture the cylindrical Cygnus with a robotic arm around 7:30 a.m. Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">During its monthlong stay, the crew will unload 1,300 pounds of food, clothing and other cargo NASA could afford to lose if the mission went badly, and then stuff it with trash.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus and its contents will be destroyed upon re-entering the atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital hopes to launch another Cygnus as soon as December, the first of eight resupply missions planned under a $1.9 billion contract NASA awarded in 2008.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We'll be ready to go before the end of the year to deliver again," said Culbertson.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA says the commercial cargo missions are key to enabling it to focus on more challenging human missions deeper into space, possibly starting with an asteroid in 2021.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If we needed more tangible proof (that) this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now," said Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">New private rocket launches to space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A U.S. spacecraft carrying about 1,300 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station reached orbit Wednesday morning after a trouble-free launch — marking the start of a new chapter in NASA's effort to outsource routine missions
to the private sector. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The two-stage Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences of Virginia blasted off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 10:58 a.m. carrying a cargo capsule expected to rendezvous with the station Sunday. Less than an hour after
liftoff, the Cygnus spacecraft deployed its solar arrays — an indication the launch went well.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The capsule, also developed by Orbital Sciences, will perform a series of tests in its four-day journey to the station, about 230 miles above Earth. When it gets close enough, astronauts will snag the 17-foot capsule with a robotic arm
and reel it in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">On board are supplies, such as food and clothing, for the station crew. Only three astronauts now are staffing the observatory — half the usual crew size. Three more astronauts are expected to arrive later this month with the planned
launch of a Russian spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Unlike some other spacecraft, Cygnus isn't designed to return to Earth. Plans call for Cygnus to remain at the station for more than a month. After being filled with trash, it will detach and burn up in the atmosphere over the South
Pacific Ocean. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The successful launch of Antares and Cygnus is critical to NASA's long-range plans to supply the station. Orbital is one of two U.S. companies given contracts by NASA to build spacecraft capable of ferrying cargo to the orbiting platform.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The first, SpaceX of California, made history last year as the first commercial company to deliver supplies for the station crew. Orbital is trying to repeat the feat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Since NASA retired the space shuttle in 2011, it has been forced to rely on others to deliver crew and cargo to the $100 billion observatory. Russia remains the only nation trusted to ferry U.S. astronauts to the station — but NASA is
counting on U.S. companies to ultimately fill that gap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX now is operating under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for 12 cargo-resupply missions; the third of these will fly in a few months. A successful mission by Orbital Sciences will set the stage for the company to begin its eight-flight,
$1.9 billion contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"There is clearly still a lot of work in front of us, but the mission looks like it is off to a great start," said David Thompson, Orbital's president and CEO.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares flight was the second major U.S. launch Wednesday. At 4:10 a.m., an Atlas V rocket flew from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with a communications payload for the Air Force.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus cargo ship flies for first time, heading for space station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Alan Boyle - <a href="http://NBCNews.com"><a href="http://NBCNews.com">NBCNews.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A new kind of commercial spaceship took to the air for the first time, with the launch of Orbital Sciences Corp's Cygnus cargo craft toward the International Space Station from a Virginia launch pad on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's two-stage Antares rocket lifted off at 10:58 a.m. ET from Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's seaside Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ascent could theoretically be seen from a swath of the
East Coast stretching from New York to the Carolinas, although partly cloudy skies at the launch pad reduced visibility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The unmanned Cygnus capsule rode atop the Antares rocket into outer space, bringing about 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms) of supplies to the orbital outpost. But the main objective of this mission is to demonstrate Cygnus' capabilities,
clearing the way for Orbital to start resupplying the space station in earnest under the terms of a $1.9 billion, eight-flight contract with NASA.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is the way of the future," Frank Culbertson, a former astronaut who now serves as Orbital's executive vice president, told reporters at a post-launch news conference. "This is how we're going to have to operate going forward in
order to maintain a robust space program."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Only a few hiccups came to light during the countdown: Monitors had to check on houses near the launch pad when weather projections suggested that a launch blow-up might pose a risk of blowing out windows. "We had to work that pretty
hard, right up to the end," Culbertson said. In a worst-case scenario, houses might have had to have been evacuated, but everything turned out fine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The nearly flawless launch put the Cygnus craft just a mile or two from its target orbit, traveling at 17,500 mph (28,000 kilometers per hour) and closing in on the space station.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It didn't take long for the kudos to come in from NASA:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></span></span>"If you needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of exploration, it's right here, right now in Virginia," NASA associate administrator Robert Lightfoot told reporters at a post-launch news conference.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></span></span>"This is another historic day for commercial spaceflight, a very proud day for NASA, and an amazing accomplishment for our partner, Orbital Sciences," Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, added in.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></span></span>"Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Virginia-based Orbital was selected in 2008 to join California-based SpaceX as a carrier of cargo for the space station in the wake of the space shuttle fleet's retirement. SpaceX has a separate $1.6 billion resupply contract, and has
already sent three of its Dragon cargo capsules to the space station and back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This week's Antares launch follows up on an earlier orbital demonstration mission in April. For that mission, the two-stage Antares merely launched a dummy capsule that simulated the cylindrical Cygnus' shape and heft. Thus, this mission
marks the Cygnus' first honest-to-goodness flight to orbit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus is due to rendezvous with the space station on Sept. 22. Astronauts will use the station's Canadian-built robotic arm to grab onto the cylindrical, car-sized craft and pull it in for its berthing onto the station's Harmony module.
"We're waiting for you Sunday with (ahem) open arm!" the Canadian Space Agency tweeted after Wednesday's launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">After the cargo is unloaded, the crew will stow trash aboard the capsule. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon, Orbital's cargo craft is not designed to return to Earth. About a month after its arrival, the Cygnus will be set loose and guided through
atmospheric re-entry to its fiery doom over the South Pacific. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The next window of opportunity for a space station resupply mission comes in the December-January time frame, but Lindenmoyer said NASA hasn't yet decided whether Orbital or SpaceX will take that spot. The space agency will wait at least
until after the Cygnus makes its re-entry to choose between the competitors — a situation that might have been hard to imagine during the space shuttle era.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Planning the traffic to the space station is quite a busy job," Lindenmoyer said. "There are a lot of vehicles coming and going to the space station nowadays."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus on way to station, Orbital Sciences on way to collecting from NASA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dan Leone - Space News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. on Sept. 18 blasted its Cygnus cargo capsule toward the international space station (ISS) aboard the Antares rocket, marking the start of a demonstration delivery mission that, if successful, will clear the way
for the Dulles, Va., company to start collecting on a $1.9 billion NASA contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In its maiden flight to space, Cygnus separated cleanly from the second stage of Antares — which has now flown twice, counting a demo launch in April — at about 11:08 a.m. EDT, 10 minutes after liftoff from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport, a state-operated facility at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Scheduled to arrive at ISS on Sept. 22, Cygnus will spend 30 days aloft at the orbital outpost. When its mission is over, the expendable craft will detach from the station, re-enter the atmosphere and burn up over the Pacific Ocean.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Should Orbital complete the demonstration mission successfully, it will be clear to begin the eight cargo delivery flights it needs to complete to collect the rest of the revenue due to it under the Commercial Resupply Services contract
it signed with NASA in 2008. Some $622 million of that was on Orbital's books as of October 2012, according to a June 13 report from the NASA inspector general. The rest can be collected only after Orbital completes its deliveries.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In addition, a successful Cygnus debut will mean NASA will have realized a goal it set for itself in 2006, when it began distributing seed money for commercially operated systems to replace the space shuttle's cargo-carrying capacity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Following competition for bigger contracts, Orbital and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) eventually emerged as NASA's candidates for the job. SpaceX, after completing its own demonstration cargo run in 2012, has now flown
two contract cargo runs to ISS under its 12-flight, $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services Contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA will need another cargo run sometime around December or January, and while it is not certain whether the agency will call on SpaceX or Orbital, NASA's Michael Suffredini, manager of the ISS program at the Johnson Space Center in
Houston, said in a prelaunch press conference earlier this month that Orbital is the likelier candidate — SpaceX, busy preparing for the debut of its new Falcon 9 1.1 rocket at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, may not be ready to fly another cargo
mission from Florida in time, Suffredini said. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Also to be resolved is the status of NASA's Commercial Cargo Program after 2016, the year Orbital and SpaceX's delivery contracts expire. The agency has not yet announced when it might solicit bids for follow-on deliveries, but ISS will
be operational until at least 2020, and NASA wants to fly even longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Still, the agency has not said when, or how, it would buy additional cargo deliveries. However, NASA appeared to leave itself room to meet some&nbsp; — if not all— of its cargo needs via the Commercial Crew Program it is putting together
to resume astronaut launches from U.S. soil in the post-shuttle era.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In draft request for proposals NASA put together for Commercial Crew, the agency said it wanted to order astronaut taxi flights via task orders, which might also be used to book space for cargo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Cygnus spaceship thunders away on shakedown cruise<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Stephen Clark - <a href="http://SpaceflightNow.com"><a href="http://SpaceflightNow.com">SpaceflightNow.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A privately-owned spaceship built by Orbital Sciences Corp. made an Earth-rattling trip into orbit from Virginia on Wednesday, starting a four-day chase of the International Space Station to close out a nearly $700 million NASA program
to foster a fleet of commercial spaceships to replace capabilities lost with the space shuttle's retirement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft, fitted with an Italian-built pressurized cargo carrier, blasted off at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT) aboard an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares rocket, emitting a tongue of orange exhaust and a crackling roar, gracefully soared above its launch pad and pitched over to fly southeast from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, leaving a twisting trail of smoke hanging in
the morning sun as the 13-story rocket sped into space. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launcher's AJ26 engines, leftovers from Russia's ill-fated moon program of the 1960s, accelerated the Antares rocket high into the stratosphere before consuming its supply of kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The first stage gave way to a Castor 30 solid-fueled motor built by ATK to inject the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit, then deployed the automated spaceship about 10 minutes after liftoff.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A few minutes later, the Cygnus extended two solar array wings built by Dutch Space in the Netherlands and pressurized its propulsion system for four days of engine burns on a shakedown cruise to the International Space Station.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This was hard," said Frank Culbertson, vice president of advanced programs at Orbital Sciences. "It's difficult to get a rocket off the launch pad. There are a lot of things that have to come together no matter how many times you do
it." <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch replicated a feat Orbital Sciences accomplished in April, when it put the Antares through a test launch without a functioning payload. NASA and Orbital agreed to launch the Antares demo mission as a risk-reduction exercise.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus spacecraft's next steps break into uncharted territory for Orbital Sciences, a firm with a vaunted history of rocket flights and satellite production, but with little experience in the day-to-day world of human spaceflight.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This was just step one of the hard part," Culbertson said. "Step two is coming up as we begin the rendezvous and approach the space station."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus test flight, operated by Orbital Sciences with objectives mandated by NASA, is the first of nine Orbital Sciences missions to the space station. The next eight sorties - the first is scheduled for December - are under a $1.9
billion Commercial Resupply Services contract between Orbital and NASA. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The ongoing demo mission is the last step in a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement signed between Orbital Sciences and the space agency in February 2008. The pact set up a public-private partnership in which NASA is
funneling $288 million to Orbital to help fund the development of the Cygnus and Antares vehicles.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences says it put even more of its own capital into the programs. In April, Culbertson said design and development of the Cygnus cargo craft cost about $300 million, and the Antares launcher cost a little more, declining to
give a specific figure. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital was also a minority investor in the approximately $140 million Antares launch pad and integration hangar at Wallops Island.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Seeing a dearth of U.S. spacecraft capable of resupplying the space station after the space shuttle's retirement, NASA cinched agreements with Orbital Sciences and SpaceX to partially finance new commercial spacecraft and launchers to
restore domestic access to the complex for cargo, reducing U.S. reliance on international spaceships.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA signed a deal with SpaceX in August 2006 and reached an agreement with Orbital in 2008. California-based SpaceX, founded and led by Internet and technology magnate Elon Musk, completed its COTS demonstration flight to the space
station in May 2012. SpaceX has flown twice more to the space station, beginning work under a 12-mission, $1.6 billion resupply contract similar to Orbital's.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's full-up test flight comes more than a year after SpaceX's end-to-end demo mission, but Orbital officials are quick to point out SpaceX had an 18-month head start.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Ten demonstrations of the Cygnus vehicle's engines, computers and navigation systems are planned before the spacecraft's arrival at the space station Sunday.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Before NASA permits the resupply ship to approach the space station, engineers must prove the Cygnus can accurately maneuver, conduct an emergency abort, and use its GPS and laser navigation systems.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We agreed to an end-to-end demonstration of their system," said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's COTS program. "Orbital is responsible for the entire mission from receiving our cargo from NASA, launching, delivering it on orbit,
and then safely disposing of it with the re-entry of the vehicle." <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus will advance toward the space station from below, flying up from underneath and pausing at preset points before halting about 30 feet below the complex while European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano extends the outpost's
robot arm to snag the free-floating spacecraft and place it on a berthing port for a month-long stay.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The spacecraft carries 1,543 pounds of food, office supplies, spare parts and student experiments, and astronauts will unpack that gear and replace it with trash for the Cygnus' departure and plunge back to Earth.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus carries supplies inside a 10-foot-diameter pressurized cargo module built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, which also manufactured logistics modules used by the space shuttle and the European Space Agency's ATV resupply craft.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Similar to European, Japanese and Russian supply ships - but unlike the returnable SpaceX Dragon spacecraft - the Cygnus will fall back into the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean and burn up during re-entry on Oct. 24.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA hails private Cygnus spacecraft 'picture perfect' 1st launch to station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Tariq Malik - <a href="http://Space.com"><a href="http://Space.com">Space.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The mighty roar of a commercial rocket launching a brand-new private cargo ship on a stunning debut test flight from Virginia's Eastern shore Wednesday has NASA overjoyed and the spaceship's builder beaming with pride.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">An Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched into orbit from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here at 10:58 a.m. EDT (1458 GMT), carrying the company's first robotic Cygnus spacecraft on a critical demonstration
flight to the International Space Station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "Orbital's
extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is a very exciting day for us," Frank Culbertson, Orbital Sciences' executive vice president, told reporters after liftoff.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Alan Lindenmoyer, chief of NASA's commercial crew and cargo program, called the launch simply "historic."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The teams came together on a beautiful day for a picture perfect launch of Antares," Lindenmoyer told reporters after the launch, which streaked into a clear blue Virginia sky. "We are certainly looking forward to the arrival of Cygnus
Sunday morning."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">So, is there Champagne and a party?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Oh, there will probably be a couple," Culbertson said. "They worked really hard and they deserve some time off, and they deserve some celebration. In fact, I think there's a party going on right now that I'm missing."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Private spaceship party<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences has reason to celebrate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The company has been developing the Cygnus spacecraft since 2008 and has a $1.9 billion contract to provide eight cargo delivery missions to the space station for NASA using the vehicle and the firm's Antares rockets. But first, Orbital
has to prove the spaceflight system works.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">That's the goal of this demonstration flight, called the ORB-D1 mission. Over the next four days, Orbital will tackle a series of 10 major tests to prove out the Cygnus vehicle's performance, and then pass the rendezvous test<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Early Sunday, if all goes well, the Cygnus will fly itself within reach of the International Space Station's robotic arm; astronauts will use that arm to capture the spacecraft and attach it to a docking port.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus spacecraft is a gleaming 17-foot-long (5 meters) cylinder that's built by Italy's Thales Alenia Space and powered by an Orbital-built service module. It can carry up to 4,409 pounds (2,000 kg), though this test flight is carrying
only a partial load.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital performed the first test launch of its Antares rocket in mid-April. The 13-story booster uses a liquid-fueled first stage powered by two Aerojet AJ26 engines originally developed for Russia's N-1 moon rocket, as well as a solid-fuel
second stage built by Alliant Techsystems, which also built the twin solid rocket boosters for NASA's space shuttle fleet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is hard," Culbertson said. "There are a lot of things that have to come together to get this rocket off the pad."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Cygnus' last moments on Earth<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">And there were some hurdles facing Wednesday's countdown to launch. About an hour before launch, Orbital pushed the target launch time back by eight minutes to allow time to address a minor glitch on the Antares rocket's first stage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Then Orbital was tracking what it calls a "distance focus overpressure" concern, basically a safety rule that requires the company to make sure people around the launch site are safe from flying glass in the unlikely event of a major
rocket malfunction that could blow out nearby windows. Orbital had to make sure people were not inside four homes, just to be sure, NASA officials said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Overpressure means it would be enough to shatter windows in a structure like a typical house. What they want to to do if they are inside that zone is to just go outside," Culbertson said. "I know it sounds silly, but they don't want
them inside looking out the windows in that area."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Astronauts on the International Space Station were unable to see the launch from space (the station was over the Indian Ocean at the time), but the crew is clearly eager to see Cygnus arrive on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Congrats @OrbitalSciences — great launch!" NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg wrote in a Twitter message from the space station. "Excited for Cygnus arrival on Sunday!"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>NASA's private spaceship plan<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital is flying its first Cygnus mission as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Service program, which awarded the firm $288 million in 2008 to kick-start spacecraft development. That program is separate from the Commercial
Resupply Services effort, which oversees Orbital's $1.9 billion deal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital is actually one of two companies to develop and launch private unmanned cargo ships for NASA under those two programs. The California-based SpaceX, led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, is the other company. SpaceX has a
$1.6 billion deal to provide 12 cargo flights to the space station for NASA using its own Falcon 9 rockets and unmanned Dragon space capsules.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">So far, SpaceX has launched two of its contracted cargo missions to the space station. Dragon capsules are also equipped with a heat shield, so they can return cargo back to Earth at the end of their missions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft, meanwhile, are disposable and burn up in Earth's atmosphere at the end of their missions. This first Cygnus is expected to spend about 30 days at the space station before undocking in October and burning
up over the Pacific Ocean.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences is the first entity to launch a space station flight from Wallops Island, Va. Its Antares rockets blast off from Pad 0A at the commercial Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located on NASA's Wallops Flight Facility grounds.
The rocket and launch site give NASA a much-needed redundancy in access to space to keep the station supplied, agency officials said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If we needed more tangible proof that this is a new era of space exploration it's right here, in Virginia," NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital Sciences Launches Test Flight to Space Station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Jonathan Salant - Bloomberg News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences Corp. (ORB) successfully launched a rocket in an attempt to send an unmanned commercial craft to the International Space Station.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The company's new Antares (ANT) rocket carrying the Cygnus capsule lifted off today at 10:58 a.m. from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The scheduled 36-day-long
mission is the final test before Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital can make regular cargo deliveries under its $1.9 billion NASA contract.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital's flight is its first attempt to fly to the space station, an orbiting research laboratory that conducts experiments in physics, meteorology, biology and other fields. In an earlier test, the company successfully launched a rocket
and delivered a mock cargo ship into space. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is a final demonstration of their ability to do the mission," said John Logsdon, a professor emeritus and founder of George Washington University's Space Policy Institute.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If the mission is successful, Orbital could begin launching more capsules to the space station as early as December. The Cygnus capsule is designed to burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp., controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, last year became the first company to berth a private supply ship with the station.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Companies Supplying<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA is counting on private companies such as Orbital and SpaceX to resupply the space station, a task formerly done by its own space shuttles. NASA retired the fleet in 2011.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft underwent two test flights before it began shuttling cargo to the space station. Orbital decided on one test flight because it has more experience in space, said Jeffrey Foust, a space and telecommunications
analyst with Futron Corp. in Bethesda, Maryland. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"They're anxious to demonstrate Cygnus' capability so they can start commercial flights and the revenue that comes with doing those cargo flights," he said.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The first stage of the launch rocket is to separate four minutes after liftoff, and after the protective nosecone deploys, the second stage will fire. The stage will separate 10 minutes after liftoff and the spacecraft's systems will
then be activated. During its four-day trip to the space station, Cygnus is scheduled to perform 10 demonstrations that test the spaceship's capabilities.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>4,400 Pounds<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Orbital spacecraft is expected to reach the station Sept. 22 with 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms) of cargo, less than one-third of its capacity. A robotic arm from the station will grab the capsule and glide it into the port. The spacecraft
will remain for about 30 days. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">When missions start for real, Cygnus initially will carry about 4,400 pounds of cargo, said Barron Beneski, an Orbital spokesman. For later flights, the spacecraft will be able to carry as much as 5,500 pounds, he said.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX, which has a $1.6 billion contract for 12 missions, has successfully completed two trips. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is designed to return to Earth and be reused, Cygnus will burn up in the atmosphere upon re-entry.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dragon can be used to bring back experiments or equipment, while Cygnus will be used to ferry away trash, which will be incinerated along with the spacecraft, Foust said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Launch Marks Start of Orbital Sciences Space Station Missions<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Wayne Rash <a href="http://-eWEEK.com"><a href="http://-eWEEK.com">-eWEEK.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The sound rolled louder than thunder as the Antares rocket rose majestically from Virginia's Launch Complex 0A on Wallops Island at 10:58 a.m. Sept. 18. The Virginia-owned Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch facility was being used
by Orbital Sciences to launch an Antares cargo launch vehicle to the International Space Station less than two weeks after the same launch facility launched a rocket to the moon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares launch vehicle carried a Cygnus spacecraft that was loaded with nearly 1,500 pounds of supplies for the Space Station. The spacecraft will first perform a number of maneuvers to demonstrate that it can approach the Space
Station safely. Once that is accomplished, the spacecraft will fly in formation with the Space Station, which will then haul it to a docking port using a robotic arm. The docking maneuver will take place early Sept. 22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The successful launch from Wallops Island marked almost exactly 50 years from the date of the first launch of a spacecraft into orbit from the facility. It was also the heaviest payload for a resupply mission, according to NASA Associate
Administrator Robert Lightfoot, who was present for the launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch went off, in Lightfoot's words, "Optimally." While there were some minor glitches, such as a balky video camera and a power cable that needed replacement over the previous weekend, the actual launch was essentially perfect.
According to Orbital Sciences Executive Vice President Frank Culbertson, the launch was as close to perfect as it was possible to get. "It did end up a couple of kilometers higher than we'd planned," he said at the post-launch press conference. "But that's
not a problem," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Antares is a traditional liquid fueled rocket powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene. It boosts a solid-fuel powered second stage that inserts the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. The Antares/Cygnus mission is part of NASA's Commercial Orbital
Transportation System (COTS) in which private companies provide launch services to the Space Station. The only other company launching COTS payloads is California-based Space-X, which successfully launched a Dragon spacecraft to the Space Station in 2012.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Prior to the successful launch of these privately-developed space vehicles, NASA had to rely entirely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to resupply the Space Station after NASA retired the last of the venerable Space Shuttles in July 2011.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Sept. 18 launch is the first in what are currently planned to be ten launches by Orbital Sciences. The next Space Station resupply launch is planned for December. Wallops Island is expecting to see at least one commercial launch
every month for the foreseeable future.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Currently, Orbital is the only company using the Virginia-owned facility. NASA owns its own launch pads that are adjacent to Pad 0A, and maintains a frequent series of its own launches from those.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Launch pads 0A and 0B were built by Virginia and placed into operation in 2006. Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell told eWEEK in an interview that the state sees space transportation as critical to Virginia's business environment.
Because of this the state has established a number of tax incentives for businesses that use the spaceport. McDonnell said that the Wallops Island facility is the responsibility of the Virginia Department of Transportation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Shortly after launch, the rocket gathered speed, and then blasted its way into the upper atmosphere. The first stage separated about five minutes after launch. It coasted briefly while the first stage fell away, then the second stage
fired launching the Cygnus spacecraft the rest of the way into orbit. The Cygnus spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle 20 minutes after launch, at which point it was already in orbit. Three minutes later the Cygnus deployed its solar arrays and began
its independent operations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The spacecraft carried food, clothing and other supplies to Space Station astronauts. In addition, Cygnus carried seven student experiments, the culmination of the work of nearly 7,000 students in various grades.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Once the spacecraft docks with the Space Station, astronauts will unload the cargo and experiments. Included are some personal items from the Astronauts' families and some mission patches and stickers from Orbital Sciences. "We hope
Space-X will bring them back for us," Culbertson joked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The launch of Antares and Cygnus was the final step in approving the Orbital spacecraft for commercial use in making supply runs to the Space Station. Once this mission is complete, "There's nothing else standing in the way," said Alan
Lindenmoyer, NASA's commercial crew and cargo manager.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">After the Space Station astronauts unload the Cygnus spacecraft, they will then begin filling it with trash. Once it's filled, the spacecraft will be sent back to Earth to burn up over the Indian Ocean. Orbital's Cygnus is designed to
be disposable, unlike the reusable Dragon spacecraft flown by Space-X. During a post-launch press conference Culbertson noted that the spacecraft developed by the two companies are designed for different purposes, with Cygnus able to handle more cargo, but
not being able to land back on the earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The next launch from Wallops Island will be an Orbital Sciences Minotaur I rocket in November. The Minotaur I rocket is similar to the Minotaur V rocket used for the recent lunar launch also at Wallops Island.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Antares Picture Perfect Blastoff Launches Commercial Space Race<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Ken Kremer - Universe Today<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The new 'Commercial Space Era' received a resounding boost today when a privately developed Antares rocket lofting the first ever Cygnus commercial cargo resupply craft thundered to space from America's newest launch pad at NASA Wallops
along the Eastern Shore of Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The history making launch marks the first time that a spacecraft launched from Virginia is blazing a path to the International Space Station (ISS) – thereby scoring a milestone achievement to keep the orbiting lab complex stocked up
with supplies and science experiments from American soil. This is the maiden flight of Cygnus.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It was a 'picture perfect' blastoff for the two stage Antares booster at 10:58 a.m. EDT this morning (Sept. 18) from the commercial Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The blastoff of Antares was stunningly beautiful with intensely bright flames spewing from the rockets rear. And the incredibly loud roar of the first stage engines reverberated widely and wowed hoards of spectators gathered throughout
the local viewing area in Chincoteague, Va. – and woke late sleepers some folks told me later today!
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The rumbling thunder of Antares sounded as loud as a space shuttle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Antares and Cygnus were built by Orbital Sciences Corporation and its team of industrial partners using seed money from NASA's COTS commercial transportation initiative aimed at fostering the development of America's commercial space
industry to deliver critical and essential supplies to the ISS. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Thales-Alenia Space in Italy designed and constructed the 17 foot ( 5 meter) long Cygnus module under contract with Orbital. Thales-Alenia has actually built 50% of the pressurized modules currently comprising the ISS.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"This is a historic accomplishment for commercial spaceflight with the picture perfect launch of Antares and Cygnus headed for the space station," said Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's program manager for commercial crew and cargo, at a post
launch briefing for reporters at NASA Wallops. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In fact this was the heaviest cargo load ever delivered to the ISS by a commercial vehicle, said Frank Culbertson, former astronaut and now Orbital's executive Vice President responsible for the Antares and Cygnus programs.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A revolutionary new day has dawned in space by opening up new pathways enabling space exploration And it's not a moment too soon given the continuing significant reductions to NASA's budget.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">COTS was aimed at revolutionizing how we reach space by privatizing routine space operations that thereby allows NASA to focus more on exploration beyond low earth orbit, getting people back to the Moon and beyond to deep space destinations
including Asteroids and Mars.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Today's Antares launch is the culmination of the COTS contract that NASA awarded to Orbital back in 2008.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Today marks a milestone in our new era of exploration as we expand the capability for making cargo launches to the International Space Station from American shores," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in a statement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Orbital's extraordinary efforts are helping us fulfill the promise of American innovation to maintain our nation's leadership in space."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Cygnus spacecraft is healthy and successfully unfurled its life giving solar panels starting 1.5 minutes after separation from the second stage that took place about 10 minutes after launch.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Antares placed Cygnus into its intended orbit of about 180 x 160 miles above the Earth, inclined at 51.6 degrees to the equator, Orbital said.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Cygnus is traveling at 17,500 MPH and is on its way to rendezvous with the space station Sunday, Sept. 22. The cargo vessel will deliver about 1,300 pounds (589 kilograms) of cargo, including food, clothing, water, science experiments,
spare parts and gear to the Expedition 37 crew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The flight, known as Orb-D1 is a demonstration mission to prove that Cygnus can conduct a complex series of maneuvers in space safely bringing it to the vicinity of the ISS.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Mission controllers at Orbital will guide Cygnus to the vicinity of the ISS on Sept. 22.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">But its only after carrying out a series of complicated maneuvering tests proving that the vehicle can safely and reliably approach the station up close that NASA and the ISS partners will grant permission to dock.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The ISS astronauts will then grapple Cygnus with the station's robotic arm and berth the capsule at an earth facing docking port.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Antares first stage is powered by dual liquid fueled AJ26 first stage rocket engines that generate a combined total thrust of some 750,000 lbs – originally built in the Soviet Union as NK-33 model engines for the Soviet era moon
rocket. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The upper stage features an ATK Castor 30 solid rocket motor with thrust vectoring. Antares can loft payloads weighing over 5000 kg to LEO. The 2nd stage will be upgraded starting with the 4th Antares flight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Antares next flight is scheduled for December sometime between the 8th and 21st", said Culbertson.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Smooth Sailing, Cygnus:<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Orbital's New Cargo Ship Rockets to Space on First ISS Supply Mission<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Ben Evans - <a href="http://AmericaSpace.com"><a href="http://AmericaSpace.com">AmericaSpace.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Less than two weeks after Pad 0B reverberated to the roar of the first Minotaur V rocket, carrying NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) on its journey to the Moon, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on
Wallops Island, Va., made history again today when Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched its first Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. Liftoff of the 133-foot-tall, two-stage Antares rocket—Orbital's first cryogenic launch vehicle
and the largest booster the company has ever built—occurred from neighboring Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m. EDT. The launch was postponed slightly past its 10:50 a.m. target, due to several technical, human, and weather issues. Within 10 minutes of liftoff, the Antares
had delivered Cygnus perfectly into orbit, and the spacecraft is currently in the process of unfurling its twin gallium arsenide solar arrays and communications appendages, prior to a rendezvous and berthing with the space station on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Despite Orbital's earlier decision to effect a 24-hour launch postponement from Tuesday, 17 September, final processing of Antares and its star payload have run exceptionally smoothly. Two weeks ago, the Dulles, Va.-based company announced
its decision to name the first Cygnus in honor of the late G. David Low, a three-time shuttle astronaut and former Orbital executive, whose leadership proved pivotal in securing the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) partnership with NASA. In
February 2008, NASA announced that it had selected Orbital—together with Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX—as partners to commercially resupply the ISS. Ten months later, NASA "ordered eight flights valued at about $1.9 billion from Orbital and 12 flights valued
at about $1.6 billion from SpaceX." Under the provisions of the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, each company was to transport around 44,000 pounds of payloads, equipment, and supplies to the ISS by the end of 2016.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">SpaceX triumphantly completed its COTS Demonstration Mission back in May 2012, and its first two "dedicated" CRS cargo flights subsequently took place in October 2012 and March 2013. In the meantime, Orbital endured a multitude of technical
and organizational problems which repeatedly delayed the maiden voyage of its large Antares launch vehicle. Its Aerojet-developed AJ-26 engines—whose heritage extends back to the Soviet era—are powered by liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (known as "RP-1?)
and are part of a consignment of 36 engines bought from Russia in the mid-1990s. These were extensively upgraded and modernized by Aerojet, and at the instant of liftoff each one produces a sea-level thrust of 338,000 pounds. Despite a handful of problems,
including stress corrosion of the 40-year-old metal, the engines have performed generally well on the test stand since 2010. In addition to the engines, Orbital has endeavored to develop a new launch site at MARS on Wallops Island, Va., and experienced difficulties
with the construction of new kerosene and liquid oxygen tankage and the certification of propellant loading operations. These conspired to delay the first test launch of Antares well past its original spring 2012 target date. Eventually, on 21 April 2013,
the vehicle rocketed away from Pad 0A on the long-awaited "A-ONE" mission and delivered a mass simulator of Cygnus into low-Earth orbit. This provided a close analog for the opening minutes of a "real" ISS mission.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">By the time of the A-ONE flight, the Cygnus for today's ORB-D launch was already deep into processing. Its Service Module (SM) had been loaded with hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide maneuvering propellants in the V-55 Hypergolic Fueling
Facility at Wallops between 15-19 April, after which it was moved to the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) for several months. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the HIF, Antares' two stages were mated in July and, after the installation of Cygnus, the vehicle was
rolled out to Pad 0A on Friday, 13 September. Poor weather conditions during the rollout process and the discovery of an inoperative cable during a combined systems test on Friday evening prompted Orbital to postpone the launch by 24 hours from 17 September
until today. A smooth Launch Readiness Review on Tuesday concluded with a unanimous "Go for Launch" and enabled Orbital managers and engineers to begin final preparations for an opening launch attempt at 10:50 a.m. EDT Wednesday, at the start of a 15-minute
"window." In readiness for the attempt, all personnel were cleared from Pad 0A and a process of "chilling down" the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) commenced shortly after 8:00 a.m. "Cooling down of the equipment used to store and transfer the liquid oxygen
is important," noted AmericaSpace's Launch Tracker, "as the propellant boils at a temperature of -297F and the shock of the supercooled liquid hitting warm valves and lines could cause severe thermal shock and fracture." Shortly afterwards, Antares' ordnance—including
pyrotechnics to separate various components during the flight—were enabled, and just before 9 a.m. the chilling down of the liquid oxygen transfer lines began, ahead of loading propellants into the first stage tanks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">At around 9:30 a.m., a few minutes after the "Go" to commence liquid oxygen loading, Orbital announced a slight shift of the launch time to 10:58 a.m., reportedly to adjust a gaseous nitrogen regulator. Other issues concerned low cloud
and "distant focused overpressure," which led the Wallops Range to declare its status as "Red" ("No Go"), but expected the situation to improve later in the countdown. A group of occupied buildings which may have been exposed to damage by Antares' blast wave
were also evacuated, and a problem was detected with the non-critical RocketCam which would transmit live imagery of the ascent. In the meantime, at 10:13 a.m., Antares' avionics system was loaded with the flight software to guide its ascent into orbit. Despite
the fact that the overpressure issue remained a "Red" item, the Launch Readiness Review declared that it was "Go for Launch" just before 10:30 a.m. The overpressure constraint was finally cleared a few minutes later and the range announced that it was now
"Green" ("Go") for launch. By this point, the fueling procedure was nearing its conclusion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Loading of propellants aboard Antares is timed to begin approximately 90 minutes ahead of liftoff, due to time limits associated with the rapid boil-off of the cryogenics. The loading itself required 75 minutes and was concluded at 10:42
a.m., with all propellant levels declared as "Flight Ready." The liquid oxygen remained in a so-called "topping-off" mode, being continuously replenished as it boiled off until just before launch. Three minutes later, at 10:45 a.m., a final "Go/No-Go" poll
of the launch team produced a definitive "Go for Launch," after which the systems aboard Antares and Cygnus were transferred from ground power supplies to internal battery power. The Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL)—which delivered the vehicle to the pad,
raised it to the vertical, and has supported its servicing utilities—was armed to execute a rapid retraction at the instant of liftoff. With five minutes left on the clock, the Flight Termination System was armed, and at T-3 minutes and 30 seconds, the Terminal
Count got underway, with Antares' on-board autosequencer now in primary control of all critical functions. These included the final pressurization of the rocket's first-stage fuel tanks and the gimbaling of the two AJ-26 engines. Under careful computer control,
the engines roared to life at T-2 seconds, ramping up to full power, and the vehicle left Pad 0A at 10:58 a.m.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Shortly after clearing the launch complex—with its RocketCam glitch apparently rectified and producing spectacular imagery—Antares executed a pitch and roll program maneuver to establish itself onto the proper flight azimuth. Maximum
aerodynamic turbulence—known as "Max Q"—was encountered 80 seconds into the flight, and the AJ-26 engines continued to burn hot and hard until they finally shut down about four minutes after launch. By now at an altitude of almost 70 miles and traveling in
excess of 10,000 mph, the first stage separated at 11:01 a.m. This left the second stage and Cygnus to coast for two minutes, prior to jettisoning the bullet-like payload shroud. Ignition of the second stage's solid-fueled Castor-30A engine came at 11:03:29
a.m. The engine burned with a thrust of 89,000 pounds for about 2.5 minutes, providing a final push to inject Cygnus into low-Earth orbit and shutting down at 11:06 a.m. The cargo ship itself separated from the second stage at 11:08 a.m., just 10 minutes after
leaving Virginia. At the time of separation, Cygnus was orbiting high above the Atlantic Ocean, east of Brazil. As described in AmericaSpace's preview article, today's launch heralds the start of the month-long Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS)
Demonstration Mission to evaluate the ability of Cygnus to deliver a payload of supplies to the station and its Expedition 37 crew of Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Between now and its arrival at the ISS, it will execute several orbit-raising and "phasing" maneuvers to bring it into the vicinity of the multi-national outpost. Despite Orbital's earlier decision to effect a 24-hour launch postponement
from Tuesday, 17 September, the arrival of Cygnus at the ISS remains scheduled for Saturday, 22 September. During rendezvous operations, the spacecraft will showcase its ability to "hold" position at various distances, before entering the Keep-Out Sphere (KOS)—a
virtual zone extending about 660 feet around the space station to prevent collisions—and being grappled by the 57-foot-long Canadarm2 robotic arm. It will then be berthed onto the "nadir" (Earth-facing) port of the Harmony node by Nyberg and Parmitano. The
Expedition 37 crew will be augmented next week by the arrival of Soyuz TMA-10M with Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky and NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, whose first few days aboard the station will be devoted to the unloading of Cygnus' Pressurized
Cargo Module (PCM). Current plans call for Cygnus to remain at the ISS for approximately a month, with unberthing—again via Canadarm2—and separation scheduled for 22 October. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship, which has the capability to return payloads to
an ocean splashdown, Orbital's Cygnus is intended to burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA looks to post-2020 International Space Station operations<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">William Harwood - CBS News<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Barring a catastrophic malfunction or damaging impacts from space debris, NASA should be able to keep the International Space Station (ISS) in operation at least through 2020 and, with steady funding, careful planning and a bit of luck,
through 2028 -- the 30th anniversary of the first module's launch -- officials say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">But reduced power from degraded solar arrays and other crippling consequences of decades spent in the extreme environment of space will slowly but surely take their toll and the cost-benefit ratio eventually will tilt in favor of abandonment
and a fiery controlled re-entry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While the engineering and management challenges associated with keeping the station operational are daunting, ISS program manager Michael Suffredini says they should be doable, as long as NASA has the resources to build spare parts,
pay for cargo launches and provide transportation for U.S. astronauts, either aboard U.S. commercial spacecraft or Russian Soyuz capsules.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We have a space station that is designed in a modular fashion meant for repair," Suffredini told CBS News. "So as long as you have spares for all the things that can break, you can last as long as the structure will let you last. Within
reason.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The structure, it turns out, most of it was originally designed for 30 years. So all that margin has made it relatively easy for us to get to 2020. 2028 will be a little bit more challenging. ... We may have to sharpen our pencils to
get to 2028."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Boeing, NASA's space station prime contractor, is currently conducting a detailed engineering analysis to verify that the U.S. segment of the complex can safely operate through the end of the decade. Russian engineers are assessing their
own hardware, as are the other international partners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Boeing analysis is not yet complete and additional work will be needed to to show the lab can be safely operated beyond 2020. But Suffredini said no major surprises have cropped up so far and he's optimistic the station eventually
can be cleared to fly through 2028 -- in theory, at least.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"When we get to 2028, the solar arrays are going to be struggling, I'm probably going to have a handful of radiator lines that have been isolated," he said. "2028 might be possible, but it also might be very challenging because then
you're talking about the cost of replacing big things that may be prohibitive. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"All our analysis kind of says we think we can get to 2028 and that's the path we're headed on. As we start getting beyond 2028, if it makes sense, and things aren't failing at a rate that makes it difficult for us to keep up, and the
country thinks it's the right thing to do, then we can look at going beyond that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"But 2028's kind of where we're drawing our line today based on the original design of the structure."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>An Engineering Marvel<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The first element of what would become the ISS was the NASA-financed, Russian-built Zarya propulsion and storage module, also known as the Functional Cargo Block, or FGB. It was launched 15 years ago this November by a Proton rocket.
Two weeks later, a space shuttle carried the first NASA component into orbit, the Unity connecting node, and the two were "mated" to form the core of the station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA modified the assembly sequence in the wake of the 2003 Columbia disaster and a subsequent decision by the Bush administration to retire the shuttle by the end of the decade. The U.S. segment of the outpost was declared complete
after the final shuttle flight in July 2011.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">To understand the engineering challenge facing space station operators, it helps to visualize the 900,000-pound structure as it orbits the Earth, 260 miles up, streaking through space at 5 miles per second and enduring temperature swings
of 500 degrees Fahrenheit as it moves from sunlight to shadow and back again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The long axis of the lab complex, normally oriented in the direction of travel, generally stretches out like a train, with pressurized modules connected fore and aft like passenger cars. At the front end of the complex -- the locomotive
in the train analogy -- the U.S. Harmony module leads the way, with the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory attached to a right-side port and Japan's Kibo lab extending to the left.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Harmony's aft port is connected to the U.S. Destiny laboratory module, which in turn is bolted to the central Unity connecting node. The U.S. Quest airlock extends to the right and the Tranquility module extends to the left. A cargo
storage compartment extends straight down and a set of four massive gyroscopes, used to re-orient the station and maintain its commanded position, or "attitude," is housed in a short truss that extends from Unity's top port.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The U.S. segment of the station, which includes ESA, Japan and the Canadian Space Agency, extends from Unity forward. The Russian segment begins just beyond Unity's aft port where the Zarya module is attached. The Russian Rassvet module
extends down from Zarya and serves as a docking port for unmanned cargo ships and manned Soyuz spacecraft. Bringing up the rear of the space station "train" is the Russian Zvezda command module.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Poisk docking compartment extends upward from Zarya and the Pirs module, which serves as a docking port and an airlock, extends straight down. An aft port is available for manned and unmanned vehicles. The Russians plan to replace
Pirs next year with a large laboratory module. Later, they plan to attach a multi-port docking compartment to the new lab and then a solar array assembly that will extend from that module to the right.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Mounted at right angles to the long axis of the station is its primary solar power truss, a huge assembly spanning the length of a football field that houses critical electrical components, ammonia coolant loops and steerable radiator
panels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The Canadian robot arm can move from one side of the truss to the other atop a mobile platform. On each end of the truss, four huge sets of solar arrays rotate like giant paddle wheels to track the sun as the station orbits the Earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The entire lab complex can be maneuvered, or re-oriented, by firing Russian rocket thrusters or by changing the speed of NASA's gyroscopes inside the Z1 truss atop the Unity module. Rocket thrusters are typically used for major maneuvers
while the gyros are primarily used for more minor attitude changes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The power truss is anchored to the long axis of the station by 10 massive struts that connect the central S0 truss segment to the top of the Destiny laboratory. Those struts, like all of the station structure, expand and contract as
the lab moves into and out of sunlight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">They also have to handle the stresses generated when the station is maneuvered, when visiting vehicles dock at the outpost and when Russian thrusters are fired to boost its altitude. Those same forces also act on module ports and attachment
fittings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While the station might appear to be a rigid structure, it actually bends and flexes under a wide variety of loads. And that flexing, repeated year in and year out, poses a threat to the lab's structural integrity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">To assess the long-term structural health of the station, Boeing engineers developed detailed computer models based on NASA's projected use -- the expected stresses caused by future dockings, reboosts, crew activity and thermal cycles
-- and combined that with actual data from on-board accelerometers and strain gauges.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The idea was to characterize the stresses acting across the station to identify areas of particular concern and to find out how they will fare over an extended mission.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"What we're looking at is theoretical crack growth," Pamela McVeigh, the engineer in charge of the Boeing structural analysis in Houston, told CBS News. "So the failure mode would be you'd have a crack beginning, probably (at) a bolt
hole, and the crack would grow to another edge. So you'd lose like a flange on a C-beam, or an I-beam. The stiffness of your structure would then change, the bolt hole you that you were growing the crack out of, now that bolt wouldn't be effective."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">McVeigh's boss, Boeing space station vehicle director Brad Cothran, said the stress comes from a combination of mechanical loads and temperature.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It doesn't really care which one broke it," he said. "If the loads get high enough in a piece of structure, it will cause it to either yield or hit ultimate, which means crack in half."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">And once a crack starts, it can propagate and eventually weaken the affected component. McVeigh said the phenomenon is similar to bending a paperclip.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If you bend that paperclip back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, eventually it snaps," she said. "That's essentially what we're trying to prevent from happening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Repetitive stress, thermal and mechanical, is one area of concern. Another is making sure periodic rocket firings or other activities don't overly "excite" the station structure, setting up some sort of harmonic oscillation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"That's what we want to avoid," Cothran said, "anything that hits a mode of the structure that would cause an interaction. Think about the Tacoma bridge. It starts rocking and it just violently comes apart, right? So those are the kinds
of things we want to avoid."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">He was referring to the ill-fated Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a one-mile-long suspension bridge in Washington state that collapsed in 1940, four months after its dedication, when 40-mph winds coupled with the bridge's natural vibration mode
to set up a catastrophic "torsional flutter."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We have seen some of those kind of interactions," Cothran said. "Nothing like the bridge, it didn't keep going, but we've seen some things interact up there."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">He recalled a yaw maneuver about a year ago, when the station was rotated 180 degrees so Zvezda was in front and Harmony was at the rear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"A lot of times, we flip the station around and fly backwards when people come to dock and just in that simple yaw ... 180 degrees, that was one that really sent us into a tizzy," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"What happened was, as the control system saw us spinning, there was flex in the structure, it appeared the structure wasn't moving. Then it would cut off and the structure would move ahead. Then it would fire on again. So we got into
this oscillation setting up in the structure, that we were like whoa, time out. Don't do that again, right?"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Such oscillations can be corrected by updating the station's control software to change the timing of rocket firings and other activities. Even so, the station endures constant stress and strain from normal, day-to-day operations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">As it turns out, the struts connecting the power truss to the Destiny module are not the area of highest concern.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The 10 struts that connect the S0 to the lab are definitely one of the areas we wanted to look very closely at," McVeigh said. "The lab side of that interface didn't turn out to be too much of a concern. The struts themselves are very
beefy. It's the connections at the two ends. The S0 side is a little more challenging, but the teams were able to show the connections are good to 2020."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Interestingly, one of the areas of highest stress on the station is the integrated electronics assembly at the base of the far left P6 solar array. The P6 truss segment was launched early in the assembly sequence and because the solar
panels turn to track the sun, the P6 IEA has experienced higher heating than other components.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">But McVeigh said the hardware should be good through the end of the decade and while the Boeing analysis is not yet complete, "I'm feeling fairly confident in reaching 2020," she said. "I have not seen anything that rules it out. I've
seen a few things that will be challenges."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Station's complexity, space environment add to management challenge<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Along with structural integrity, the Boeing study is focused on three other areas: systems that could suffer catastrophic failures unrelated to fatigue; the availability of critical spares; and the expected lifetime of key components.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Even with a sound structure, the station still faces the possibility of catastrophic failures resulting from micrometeoroid impacts or collisions with space debris.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The station was designed to withstand the sorts of impacts expected over its lifetime and flight controllers are always on guard for possible "conjunctions" that might require the station to maneuver out of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Boeing engineers are focusing on systems like the station's high-pressure oxygen tanks and 3,000-psi lines attached to the Quest airlock that are used to repressurize the compartment and service spacesuits.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We wanted to make sure those kind of things weren't going to fail that could result in a catastrophic hazard," Cothran said. "We've been through all that analysis now and we've cleared all those systems. Our oxygen high-pressure system
... turned out to be very robust."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Other equally important systems include the station's ammonia coolant loops and radiators, which are used to get rid of the heat generated by the lab's electronics. But in that case, a failure would impact the operation of the station,
not threaten its survival.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If I ever get a hole in an ammonia line, it will be a challenge for us to find it and repair it," Suffredini said. "The only way to ID (a leak) is to actually see the ammonia coming out and the conditions usually don't stay right to
see ammonia coming out very long once you start to lose pressure."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">As a result, NASA has ordered a high-tech sensor that the station's robot arm can move about to sniff out low-level traces of ammonia. The sensor should be ready for launch in about a year and a half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The availability of critical spares is another area of focus for the Boeing engineers, making sure the components currently in orbit have backups available or in the pipeline for launch before a failure might occur.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">New lithium-ion batteries, which feed stored solar array power to the station when the lab is in Earth's shadow, are scheduled for launch in 2017 that will keep that system healthy through 2020.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">More than a ton of spare parts are being readied for launch to upgrade the Zarya module, and a steady stream of components is in production for launches downstream, including high-pressure oxygen and nitrogen tanks and ammonia coolant
pumps. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The solar arrays themselves are degrading over time as a natural consequence of flying in space, but Cothran they will continue to supply the station's electrical needs through 2020. Getting to 2028 will require increased efficiency
and at some point, the Russians, who currently get about 8 kilowatts of power from NASA's arrays, will have to rely on their own solar panels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We can be more efficient in our distribution system ... so the power to the end user, even though you've lost it at the transmission station, your end user will get some more power," Cothran said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We're even thinking out of the box. Ten years from now, if you just wanted to go throw some dumb blankets out there, if you will, and just wrap them around the truss (you would) get something out of them. There are all sorts of things
the team is looking at that we could do."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Shelf life is another challenge facing station operators. Electrical components might be used, or stored, for many years and Boeing is doing a top-to-bottom analysis to identify internal systems that might be susceptible to failure after
extended periods in storage, either in space or on the ground.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">One problem already identified: programmable computer chips that somehow lose their internal charge over time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We've got a lot of data points that say that those (chips), once they start getting into double-digit years, they lose their internal charge and can't necessarily retain their memory," Cothran said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's not something you find in the commercial industry because cell phones, laptops, anything we use down here on the ground has only got a useful life of three to five years, right?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"But since a lot of our parts were built back in the 90s and we've got spare units, it's something we're having to worry about. It's not that it totally fails, what we have to do is we have to go back in and refresh it. So it's not something
that's a show stopper, it's just something we learned and as long as we're proactive, we're fine."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Assuming the primary structure passes muster and no show stoppers turn up in the areas of shelf life or catastrophic failure scenarios, ensuring a steady supply of spare parts will remain NASA's major technical challenge through 2020
and beyond.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's a whole integrated process to make sure every one of the (replaceable components) will last to 2020, and you've got the right sparing," Suffredini said. "And then every year, we redo our analysis to see is this better or worse?
You can imagine that for everything that's failed, that's a new data point.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"If I do my job right, we really could go to 2028 if I don't have ... to buy a whole bunch of new hardware, I just keep going and just let the analysis year to year tell me what I have to do."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA's Low-Tech Secrets<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>A legacy of utilizing legacy technology<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Terry Dunn - <a href="http://Tested.com"><a href="http://Tested.com">Tested.com</a></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i>(Dunn worked for 15 years as a NASA contractor at NASA Johnson Space Center, and now lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he works as an engineer in the plastics industry)<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Since its inception in 1958, NASA has fostered a very high-tech, cutting-edge public image. Surely astronauts commute about Houston in flying cars and stash concealed ray guns under those blue jumpsuits, right? As a kid in central Florida,
watching space shuttle launches from my backyard, that Buck Rogers aura was the only side of NASA that I ever knew. You can imagine my surprise when I came to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in 1997 as a budding engineer and found a decidedly less futuristic,
almost anachronistic side of the agency.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">I do not intend my observation as a slight against NASA…actually quite the contrary. Spaceflight has always been a balance between managing risk and fostering innovation. Whereas unmanned, scientific missions are more apt to dabble in
pioneering technologies, programs that send humans to orbit have embraced whatever proven technologies are feasible and available. Strapping yourself to a rocket ship has enough intrinsic risk, so why not hedge the odds where you can?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Here are some examples of those aging technologies that were still under the employ of NASA during my tenure there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>An Overgrown Abacus<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While it is easy to accept the necessity of legacy technologies in our space program, there are a few examples that have surprised me with their tenacity. First, let's look at the Mission Control Center (MCC), the site of my initial
NASA duties. On my first day on the job, I was introduced to the high-tech, super-fast computing powerhouse that flight controllers relied on to manage space shuttle flights. Was it a Cray supercomputer or perhaps a Deep Blue derivative? Well, no. It was an
ancient, room warming IBM mainframe running Assembly Language.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Called the Mission Operations Computer (MOC , or "Mock" in NASAspeak), this mainframe was actually heavy-duty computing stuff when it debuted in the mid 1960's. It handled critical tasks such as real-time trajectory calculations and
processing commands sent by flight controllers to the orbiter (whether it be Gemini, Apollo or Shuttle). It was perhaps the most vital piece of hardware within the MCC. In fact, we never operated with fewer than two mainframes at once: a prime and a hot backup
that could be enabled at a moment's notice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">During my tenure in the MCC, we worked on projects to transition computing responsibilities off of the MOC and on to UNIX-based servers. It was not until the 2002 launch of shuttle mission STS-111, however, that the MOC was bumped to
second fiddle. Think about that for a minute. One hundred ten of one hundred thirty-five missions flown by the space shuttle (arguably the most complex machine ever built by man) were choreographed by a humble mainframe (or two).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Since the retirement of the MOC, Mission Control has undergone steady upgrades to keep pace with the times. No matter which direction our manned space program ultimately takes, I suspect that we will never again see mission control lag
so far behind computing's state of the art.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Rusty Tin Cans<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">I was briefly tempted to include the space shuttle orbiters in this recollection of technological hangovers. While you can't deny that they were getting long in the tooth, the three remaining shuttles were still quite spry when pulled
from service. Like a classic car that is doted on by its owner, the shuttle fleet received constant TLC and significant upgrades over the years. Between better engines, digital "glass" cockpits, and an array of other weekend projects, just about the only aspect
of the shuttle that did not get modernized was its shadow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While the space shuttle gets a bye on this list, another under-appreciated vehicle deserves mention. The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), or spacesuit, is by most definitions a life-sustaining spacecraft. While the EMU has enjoyed
a few upgrades during its 30+ years of service, those changes were much more subtle in nature. The core technology of the EMU remains essentially intact. It bears repeating that once NASA has confidence in a critical system, the agency tends to cling to it.
When it comes to the EMU, NASA practically has "EMU" tattooed across its back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While the crux of that commitment is to ensure astronaut safety with a well-proven system, money is also a big factor. It takes a considerable amount of time and effort to certify that a new widget will adequately perform its job in
space while not causing negative impacts to the astronauts or myriad other devices that will be in close proximity. When widget 2.0 comes along, it has to represent a monumental improvement in performance to justify the expense of recertification.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In the waning days of the shuttle program, I was appointed to oversee the production of components used for sensing biomedical data within the EMU. The design of those components dates back to the 70's...maybe further. My team quickly
found that more capable units were readily available at any medical supply store. I briefly lobbied higher-ups that we should adopt a more modern system using these off-the shelf commercial parts. Their response, in no uncertain terms, was for me to dust off
the drawings, put on my big boy (leisure suit) pants and make the components 70's style…and that's what flies on the International Space Station today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While NASA has struggled to keep the EMU design static, the rest of the engineering world has kept moving forward. The result is that many materials and chemicals used to build and process the EMU are becoming increasingly hard to obtain
because no one else uses them anymore. In most cases, the material quantities that NASA needs are minuscule by industrial standards. If suppliers are still in business (and if they are willing to help) short, special-order productions runs are often cost prohibitive.
When all else fails, NASA grudgingly chooses new materials and certifies them for use.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Another factor that may force design changes to the EMU is our present payload capacity for ISS-bound ships. The space shuttle was a veritable freight train with ample volume and a 25 ton payload capacity. It carried EMUs up and back
with a regularity that ensured any given suit on the ISS had been recently blessed by technicians in Houston. Current supply ships such as the Russian Progress or Space-X Dragon have a fraction of the shuttle's load hauling capability. Every pound and cubic
inch of payload capability is bitterly contested across the multi-national ISS program. It is simply no longer feasible to rotate EMU stock like the good ol' shuttle days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">EMU life support systems now stay on orbit for extended periods which may stretch the boundaries of their designed usage and maintenance profiles. It is in this new atmosphere that we have just experienced a rather tense moment due to
a problem with an EMU. On July 16th, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano experienced water spouting into his helmet roughly one hour into a spacewalk with American astronaut Chris Cassidy. Thankfully, Luca is okay, but the remainder of the spacewalk was cancelled.
In fact, all EMU-based spacewalks are cancelled until the problem can be sorted out. It will be a long wait to get the suspect hardware back to Houston. Since some ISS supply ships intentionally burn up after departing the station (taking smelly garbage with
them), cargo space on vehicles that actually return to Earth is even more coveted than that on outbound rides.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">While replacement suit designs are in various stages of development, none are nearly ready for flight. In the mean time, it will be interesting to see how the EMU's current logistical limitations may drive design changes to NASA's legacy
spacewalk attire.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Wrinkled Wings<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Although not directly related to spaceflight, NASA has a fleet of airplanes that it keeps at Ellington Field near JSC. At a time when the age of the average airliner in the US is somewhere well south of 20 years, NASA's Ellington hangars
might seem like an aircraft rest home. Just like control centers and spacesuits, airplanes aren't cheap. So, NASA continues to utilize what works in spite of its age.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The T-38 is a supersonic jet used for proficiency training, personal transport, and various other things. As the Dick Clark of the Ellington fleet, the T-38's sleek appearance belies the fact that it is a 50 year old design. Since the
US military also continues to maintain a respectable T-38 presence, I would expect to see NASA's birds rockin' many more new years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Other, more specialized designs can't help but show their age. The ungainly Super Guppy transport looks like a prehistoric land creature…certainly not something capable of flight. But fly it does. The Guppy hauls big heavy parts wherever
they are needed and hosts high-altitude tennis matches in its bulbous cargo hold (just kidding…it's racquetball).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The long droopy wings of the WB-57 high-altitude plane make it look as if it just wants a place to lie down for a while. It's only an illusion. The WB-57 may be old, but it isn't tired. Thanks to that huge wing and modernized engines,
it leaps off of the runway and scampers up to the clouds. Despite their varied appearance, the razor-sharp T-38, swollen Super Guppy, and droopy WB-57 can all trace their origins back to the early 1960's.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Astronauts returning from a stint on ISS hitch a ride from Russia back to Houston on NASA's Gulfstream III. This large biz-jet also participates in scientific research by schlepping various instrumentation packages aloft. At only 32
years old, the GIII is practically a hatchling and seriously blows the age curve!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>What's Next?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA has always known that touting its fascinating new developments is what brings the sizzle (public support) and generates excitement (congressional funding) for the space program. Indeed, public outreach is one of its key charters.
Even though the agency has frequent need to stay technologically status quo or even go retro, it typically does so quietly. That well-honed balance of "shiny" versus "trusted" may be evolving over the next few years as NASA shows more of its hand. The current
space shuttle follow-on, Space Launch System (SLS), simply can't hide its roots. There is certainly exciting new technology involved in pulling SLS together. Yet, NASA's PR guys may have a hard time making that point when describing a ship that looks just
like the Saturn V rockets of moon shot fame and borrows engine and booster technology from the shuttle. As SLS moves forward, it will be interesting to observe whether the bigger challenges are faced by the folks building the new rocket, or the guys who must
convince a finicky public to embrace it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Craig Hlavaty - Houston Chronicle<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA is offering you the chance to help assist in the future of manned spaceflight, and all you have to do is confine yourself to a hospital bed for three months or so.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The space agency has an ongoing bed-rest study and they need test subjects.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Who wouldn't want to lay in bed for a 15 weeks and paid for doing it? But there are plenty of catches, according to researchers Ronita Cromwell and John Neigut with the Flight Analogs Project, based out of the Johnson Space Center.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This long-term bed rest study calls for participants who are non-smokers in healthy physical condition and who match the makeup of astronauts to help NASA document how the human body reacts to 70 days in a bed rest position.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We don't want couch potatoes for this study," says Cromwell. The study, based out of NASA's Human Test Subject Facility at Galveston's UTMB medical center.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">You must also pass the Modified Air Force Class III Physical, which includes vision and hearing screenings, blood and urine work, an electrocardiogram, screening for drugs and alcohol, and infectious disease testing. Here is the
<a href="https://bedreststudy.jsc.nasa.gov/apply.aspx">application</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"It's a little customized for our use," says Neigut.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Right now, researchers would like people between the ages of 24 and 55 for their study, preferably male.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Those who are selected should come into the study with something to occupy their free time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We encourage them to come in with a goal," Neigut says. Some people write books or try to learn foreign languages, and some even continue to work if they have Internet-based occupations. Some musicians and artists continue to create
while lying in bed too, though they haven't had any rock drummers come around.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Each subject is participating in seven research investigations," says Neigut. A UTMB investigator usually works with each subject on another project, too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For example, there are testosterone studies and cardiovascular studies also going on that help the general public. The subjects also undergo MRIs while performing simple tasks to see how the brain reacts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Sitting up or standing is off limits for participants in the study. Without an anti-gravity chamber, this is the best way to simulate on Earth what going without gravity does to humans in outer space on long-term missions, according
to NASA.&nbsp; Subjects must also lie with their feet slightly above their head, so gravity pulls your bodily fluids toward your head.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">You have to exercise six days a week while at UTMB. Cromwell and Neigut characterized the exercises as high-intensity, with strength and cycling training involved, all while laying in a hospital bed. Subjects aren't total sloths.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">You can go outside, but you must stay in that head-down position. Also, you won't be out there long as you cannot overdose on sunlight. They supply that necessary vitamin for you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"They experience the same physical changes that astronauts go through on long missions," says Cromwell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Still sound like a blast?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In the past subjects have been called "pillownauts" seeing as their craft is not a billion-dollar capsule but a hospital bed. Blogger Heather Archuletta documented her experience on her own
<a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/06/pillownaut/">blog</a> a few years back and kept a Flickr
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28928961@N03/">account</a> of her stay in Galveston.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Oh, and there are no conjugal visits, so you will going without -- you know -- for a while.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We encourage family and friends to come visit as much as possible," says Neigut. This helps with passing the time, and with morale during the 15-week duration.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Before subjects enter the study they go through psychological testing to make sure they have the mental tools to be confined for such a period of time. They also tour the grounds to see what is in store, including the bed pans and the
roommate situation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">There is a two-week rehab process for participants to literally get back on their feet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Neigut says in the spring they are looking at conducting shorter studies, maybe around two weeks or a few days, depending on what they need to research. They may also have an isolation chamber studdy too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A few people take a liking to the study and come back for more. Former military do well in study.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Some people are really interested in the science return and love helping NASA," says&nbsp; Neigut.&nbsp; "We have numerous repeat requests for people to come back to the study."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">China's space station to open for foreign peers<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Zhao Lei - China Daily<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">China is willing to provide training and open the Chinese space station to foreign astronauts, senior space flight officials said.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"We would like to train astronauts from other countries and organizations that have such a demand, and we would be glad to provide trips to foreign astronauts," said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency. "We will
also welcome foreign astronauts who have received our training to work in our future space station."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Yang, China's first astronaut, who went into space in 2003, said many countries submitted proposals to the Chinese government during the development of the space station, hoping China would help train their astronauts and then send them
to the station to conduct scientific experiments. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The effect of including foreign participants in our space programs is not only that these nations can send their people to outer space, but also that we will enable them to develop their own space projects."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Yang made the remarks during the five-day United Nations/China Workshop on Human Space Technology, which opened in Beijing on Monday.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A total of 150 participants from more than 20 nations and regions attended the conference. They are expected to discuss new space projects, microgravity research, international cooperation as well as awareness education for the public.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">China has been involved in a host of cooperative projects with other nations, according to Yang.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"China and Russia have collaborated on astronaut training, spacecraft technology and extra-vehicular suits, and we are cooperating with our French counterparts on a variety of experiments in astrobiology and space medicine," he said,
adding that Chinese and German scientists also performed astrobiological experiments during the unmanned Shenzhou VIII mission in 2011.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Astronauts from the European Space Agency and their Chinese peers have visited each other's training facilities, laying a solid foundation for further communication.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"The exchanges with other countries and organizations will make us familiar with their techniques and experiences, hence boosting our research and development of the space station."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Receiving congratulations on the 10th anniversary of his space mission, Yang said China is also determined to assist other developing economies in the space flight, noting that existing cooperative projects between China and developing
economies focus on the application of astronautic and space technologies, and training for professionals.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">He also said his agency has signed many agreements with universities in Hong Kong to conduct joint research on space technology, and they also have taken part in previous space activities.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, said the country will be able to rendezvous with other countries' spacecraft at the space station. China is also exploring the possibility of carrying out a joint rescue
operation, according to Zhou. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"China is now in an appropriate position to assist developing countries in building the capacity and capability of conducting space activities," said Mazlan Othman, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Many nations have realized that space is very important in the context of development, both globally and nationally, and China is a good example of how space can become a vital and crucial aspect of economic development."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Othman said China is doing well in sharing its experiences with other nations and declaring its intentions, leaving no doubt that its space endeavors are for peaceful purposes.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Othman said she is convinced that China will promote space exploration for all mankind with its resolve and huge investment.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"I think China can lead in the international community's exploration of space. It has the political will to expand its manned space endeavors, and based on that will, China has ensured and set aside enough resources."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Giant leap for smarter government<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i>Missions will deliver at one-third shuttle's cost<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Matt Reed - Florida Today (Commentary)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">If you love U.S. spaceflight but shudder at the cost, Wednesday's launch of an Orbital Sciences rocket to supply to the International Space Station should make you feel good.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Although a small step for America's space program, the smooth-as-silk launch from Virginia represented part of a giant leap for NASA contracting and free enterprise. Brevard's "home team," SpaceX, represents the other part, having successfully
launched twice from Cape Canaveral.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For $800 million — roughly the cost of one space shuttle launch in its final years — NASA paid the two companies to research, build and launch two new rocket systems capable of delivering food and gear to the orbiting station. Cargo
was top priority, post-shuttle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Given a maximum price and a succinct list of capabilities NASA sought, the businesses adopted sharply different strategies. For both, time was of the essence. They would eat the cost overruns from technical failures or delays.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">From scratch, Space X developed its Falcon rocket and Dragon capsule system that can return supplies from the station, not just deliver. Its spacecraft could be adapted for satellite launches or human flight, and Space X is competing
for that work.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Orbital Sciences, a veteran space contractor, took a "best practices" approach, assimilating Russian engines for its Antares rocket. Its Cygnus cargo capsule makes a one-way trip, and was still on approach to the station at press time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Today, SpaceX and Orbital Sciences appear to be locks to secure separate long-term contracts for supply missions. Together, they would fly 20 "commercial-cargo" missions at an average cost of about $175 million.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">That's less than one-third the cost of doing the same work with the shuttle at its peak.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Plus, there's value in diversification and "redundancy," as NASA calls it, for our national security and astronauts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Quiet triumph<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Wednesday, I watched the Orbital Sciences flight on my computer screen at work. The view from the rocket showed the Wallops Island launch site rapidly getting smaller and smaller, same as any other launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Looks like they fixed the rocket cam," a NASA TV announcer said dryly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Looks like," his cohost said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">"Beautiful view."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The triumph this time was not in launching a rocket (which looked like any other) or delivering some boxes to orbit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The victory was the huge savings to taxpayers from a risk taken years ago by an agency known for paying billions more than expected for spacecraft due to unrealistic plans or delays.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">NASA started the commercial-cargo program under President George W. Bush. It is a victory for smaller, smarter government.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">President Barack Obama tried to apply the same contracting process to human flights to the space station. Ironically, House conservatives including Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, lost their nerve.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Congress pushed NASA to narrow the field among space upstarts and steer the process for commercial-crew back to a slower, more expensive purchasing process. The companies will still own and operate the spaceships they develop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Meanwhile, Congress directed billions more to construction of NASA's giant Space Launch System rocket, the Orion crew capsule and a massive launch tower. That work has been done under the old system, in which taxpayers cover whatever
costs arise, plus a profit to the contractors, with government making all the decisions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It has gone as you'd expect.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b>Time to evolve<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">But it is the proven way for Congress bring home more bacon longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For the Space Coast, there's no denying the short-term economic loss from our signature industry doing its work cheaper and faster with thousands fewer workers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Brevard's annual gross domestic product dropped 2.4 percent, or $444 million, after the last shuttle flight in 2011. Since then, a host of smaller commercial and government space ventures have cropped up around Kennedy Space Center.
In 2012, GDP rose by 1.2 percent, or $211 million.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Granted, not all of that loss or gain came from changes at the Cape. Still, the numbers show Brevard has not yet fully recovered from the loss of its cash-cow shuttle program.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The newfound productivity at SpaceX and other private contractors may take years to encourage more innovation, entrepreneurship and business growth here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">But the commercial cargo flights represent a breakthrough for the country. NASA should apply the process again, preferably to something big.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">END<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="section1"><span style="color:windowtext"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:red"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></i></p>
</div>


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--Apple-Mail-2--292317413--