Fwd: NASA News Summary for Wednesday, October 9, 2013

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From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: October 9, 2013 6:49:42 AM GMT-06:00
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: NASA News Summary for Wednesday, October 9, 2013

 

 

 

 

LEADING THE NEWS NASA Programs, Partnerships Facing Delays Due To Shutdown. The Houston Business Journal (10/9, Ryan, Subscription Publication, 91K) "Nuts And Bolts" blog, in continuing coverage of the government shutdown, reports that the shutdown could have a long-term impact on the Johnson Space Center. Tim Budzik, managing director of the Houston Technology Center's JSC campus, warned that not only are employees and contractors being furloughed, but NASA work has now been delayed until next year. Furthermore, it also may "severely impact" those trying to spinoff NASA technologies by delaying contracts. According to Budzik, the uncertainty may mean companies are "less likely" to partner with NASA, which the article notes is important as JSC tries commercialize its technologies.         Similarly, Nature News (10/9, Witze, 115K) reports that except for a few "lucky" NASA projects, many programs are looking at "delays or outright cancellations." For instance, the Global Precipitation Measurement mission and Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy are not operating. Others, like the "Great Observatories," are stretching their budgets as much as possible, assuming no issues arise that change plans.         Shutdown Does Not Affect Juno Spacecraft Flyby. SPACE (10/9, Main, 186K) continues coverage of today's Juno spacecraft flyby of the Earth, which it needs to make it to Jupiter. Juno mission principal investigator Scott Bolton said operators will use the event to check the spacecraft's instruments by taking an image of the Earth. Meanwhile, the article notes that this event is "mission-critical" so it has not been affected by the shutdown.         Boulder (CO) iJournal (10/9) notes Bill Nye will host an "an eight-part YouTube series" about the mission starting today, to commemorate how the spacecraft will ultimately be "the fastest man-made object in history."         Universe Today (10/9, Kremer, 25K) reports Slooh will broadcast the flyby live for the public to watch.                 Meeting On Future Mars Rover Launch Continue Despite Shutdown. Florida Today (10/8, 222K) reports despite the government shutdown, meeting to discuss the "potential environmental impact of a future Mars rover launch" continue as scheduled. This is because the rover is expected to have a "nuclear battery" like the one on the Curiosity rover.                 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Offers Free Admission To Those Furloughed. The KRIV-TV Houston (10/9, Supgul, 20K) website reports Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is offering furloughed NASA employees free admission to the movie "Gravity."         Blog Coverage. Jeff Foust at Space Politics (10/8) wrote that in a release, Rep. Steve Stockman, who represents JSC, claims that most NASA employees who have contacted his office support the shutdown as they are "in favor of standing strong against Obama's budget." Stockman added that he is "working to overturn Obama's closure of JSC's arc-jet facility, restore manned space flight, increase NASA's budget, extend use of the International Space Station to at least 2028, restore Mars missions and expand planetary probes," but Foust notes he does not say what would pay for all of that.         NASA NEWS Wolf: NASA's Rationale For Banning Chinese From Conference "Inaccurate." AFP (10/9) reports that Rep. Frank Wolf, who wrote the law restricting NASA from working with China, said NASA's decision to ban Chinese scientists from the Second Kepler Science Conference on exoplanets at Ames Research Center is "inaccurate." Wolf's office, in a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Boldenreportedly trying to "correct" the situation first reported by The Guardian, said the law "primarily restricts bilateral, not multilateral, meetings and activities with the Communist Chinese government or Chinese-owned companies," and "places no restrictions on activities involving individual Chinese nationals unless those nationals are acting as official representatives of the Chinese government." The article notes that Bolden had previously testified to Congress that he would place "a moratorium on granting any new access to NASA facilities to individuals from specific designated countries, specifically China, Burma, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan." However, Wolf said in the letter that since the understanding was that there was no longer any moratorium, NASA "needs to send updated guidance to both the conference attendees and to the press to correct this misconception."         Symposium Attendees Differ On SLS. The Huntsville (AL) Times (10/9, Gattis, 127K) "Breaking" blog reports that at the Wernher von Braun Symposium on Tuesday, former NASA shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said NASA needs a "new strategy" because it has "languished" for the decades because of "different visions." Hale warned that with its low launch rate, the Space Launch System could suffer the same fate as the Constellation program. Hale believes NASA needs to adopt "innovative" processes like how SpaceX and Orbital Sciences developed spacecraft that have docked at the ISS. Hale also criticized NASA's asteroid redirect mission, saying that while it is "very interesting," it is not a "long-term strategy."         Meanwhile NASASpaceFlight (10/9, Bergin, 305) reports that at the symposium, "leaders of several major space industry companies" thought the SLS could create a "demand" for up to two launches per year. These officials were noted for being involved with the rocket's development. The article adds that the officials, discussing the rocket during a panel, said that others may suggest new missions once the rocket is operational, citing how it could reduce the travel times of scientific missions by years. According to the article, the officials also described how they were "streamlining their processing and manufacturing capabilities" to reduce the rocket's cost.         HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS Massimino: "Gravity" Will Remind People US Has A Space Station. The Los Angeles Times (10/8, Keegan, 3.07M) continues coverage of the scientific accuracy of the movie, "Gravity." While one person working on the film said NASA did not want to officially advise it for its portrayal of the dangers of space, astronauts Cady Coleman, who spoke to actress Sandra Bullock while at the ISS, and Mike Massimino have been making public appearances to discuss the film. Massimino said, "I would go so far as to say I think it's going to inspire some young people. The exposure of it will hopefully get people interested in what NASA is doing,. ... The way the characters are portrayed is as real people. A lot of times astronauts are shown as stiff, smart mathematicians. The Sandra Bullock character is very human." He added, "It's going to remind people we are still in space, that we do still have a space station. A lot more people are going to watch this movie than watch the spacewalk that NASA does." Nyberg Tweets Image Of Austin. The KVUE-TV Austin, TX (10/9, Bumgardner, 78K) website reports ISS astronaut Karen Nyberg tweeted an image of Austin taken from the station. The article notes she celebrated her birthday at the ISS on Monday, and thanked everyone for the "kind birthday wishes."         . Crew Unpacks Cygnus Spacecraft. The News 92 FM Houston, Texas (10/9, Charles) website reports that while there is "not much news" from NASA, Orbital Sciences is reporting that the ISS crew has finished unloading the Cygnus cargo spacecraft. It is now being loaded with trash for its October 22 departure.         Cygnus Scheduled To Next Launch On December 8. Russia's Interfax (10/9) reports that the first official Cygnus cargo mission to the ISS will take place on December 8. The article notes how the Antares rocket that launches the spacecraft was developed "in cooperation with Ukraine." Composite Image Shows ISS Crossing The Sun. The SPACE (10/8, Sen, 186K) posted a "spectacular composite photo" showing the ISS as it was crossing the sun. The image was created by astrophotographer Dale Mayotte, who combined 19 other images to make the final product. Hadfield To Join University Of Waterloo. The Wall Street Journal (10/9, George-Cosh, Subscription Publication, 5.91M) "Stream" blog reports that Canadian astronaut and former ISS commander Chris Hadfield will be a professor at the University of Waterloo starting in the fall of 2014. The article notes the international attention Hadfield generated for his social media outreach while at the ISS.         The Canadian Press (10/9) similarly notes the "global audience" he had at the ISS. Meanwhile, when he joins the university's staff, Hadfield will study "why some astronauts get fainting spells" when they come back to Earth from space, which could have applications with the elderly as well. Symphony Orchestra Will Be Accompanied By ISS Video During Performance. The Waynesburg (PA) Observer-Reporter (10/9, Cavallo, 86K) reports Washington Symphony Orchestra will open its performance season with "Space – the Final Frontier," a program that pairs a "space-themed repertoire" with an ISS video arranged by Winter Morning Pictures producer Ron Hankison. Hankison said concertgoers will be "amazed" by the images taken by ISS astronauts. SPACE TECHNOLOGY Beer Experiment Just One Selected By Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. The Christian Science Monitor (10/9, Barber, 540K) continues coverage of Michal Bodzianowski's ISS experiment which will see whether beer can be brewed in space because it could be a "safe drinking water substitute" if needed. The article notes that other experiments were selected under the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program as well, including those investigating "the effects of microgravity on bacteria," how microgravity affects the mobility of animals, and the effects of microgravity on materials.         AERONAUTICS RESEARCH Jacobs Engineering Scores Langley Contracts. Law 360 (10/9, Kossov, 18K) reports Jacobs Engineering Group was awarded a contract by NASA for maintenance of Langley Research Center, a maximum value of $742 million. BLOGS US Said To Be Too Dependent On Russia In Getting To Space. At the US News & World Report (10/9, 620K) "World Report" blog, Matthew Bodner of the American Foreign Policy Council writes the US is too dependent on Russian technology, like the RD-180 engine, to get into space. Since Russia is making "noises" that it could ban the export of these engines, the US should take this seriously since Russia is not "stable," thus raising the possibility the US could lose what it needs. This needs to be a "wake-up call" for the "sorry state of American space power." AEROSPACE NEWS USAF Satellite Moving Into Higher Orbit With Contractor Thrusters. The Sacramento (CA) Business Journal (10/8, Subscription Publication, 41K) reports the US Air Force Space Command is moving a satellite outfitted with Aeroject Rocketdyne thrust propulsion systems into higher orbit, after an initial September launch. According to the article, the thrusters "use electric fields to create an ionic drive that propels a spacecraft in space or very high orbit." Aerojet Rocketdyne's president claims this technology can help reduce the cost of exploring deep space. London Museum Exhibit Displays Large-Scale 3-D Modeled Metals. The Metal Powder Report (10/9) reports the London Science Museum will be exhibited a showcase from the ESA featuring "complex 3D printed parts made of metal that can withstand temperatures at 1000°C." According to the article, the exhibit is a cooperation between ESA and EU and the first example of "large-scale production methods to 3D print with metal." According to the piece, the collaborative "It has set up the AMAZE project (additive manufacturing aiming towards zero waste & efficient production of high-tech metal products) and has set up factory sites in France, Germany, Italy, Norway and the UK to develop the industrial supply chain."