Fwd: NASA and Human Spaceflight News - Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014 and JSC Today

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From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: October 23, 2014 1:48:50 PM CDT
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: NASA and Human Spaceflight News - Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014 and JSC Today

Happy Flex Friday eve everyone.

 

 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

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JSC TODAY CATEGORIES Headlines -  Joint Leadership Team Web Poll -  NASA TV Coverage: U.S. Cargo Ship's Departure -  Free Flu Shots Today -  JSC Child Care Center Kids Trick or Treat -  Second Street Lane Closure -  National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Organizations/Social -  #JSCelebrate - Dec. 12 -  Don't Forget Today's DAG Meeting -  JSC Model Airplane Radio Control Club -  Journal Discussion Club: Collaboration -  Promote a Drug-Free Workplace: Red Ribbon Week -  Fright Fest Tomorrow: The Food Trucks are Coming -  Aerodynamics of Airplanes, Birds & Fish: Nov. 19 Jobs and Training -  Modern Mentoring Agency Webcast: Oct. 30 -  Virtual Workshop: Relationships Matter -  Human Systems Academy Lecture Community -  Calling All Judges: Inspire the World About Space -  Astronomy Day -  Continuing the Legacy of Kennedy's Speech at Rice -  Safety and Health Day Shred Truck Saved 60 Trees

James Webb Space Telescope's Heart Survives Deep Freeze Test

 

Headlines Joint Leadership Team Web Poll Last week's poll showed that we are "cautiously optimistic" about Fiscal Year (FY)2015. At least … that's how I read the results. You did choose to tattoo "HOPE" on your knuckles, so at least we have hope. We just released the FY2015 Sustainability Engagement Strategy this week, and it shows you what we are doing in sustainability and how you can get involved. Which one of the answers in question one is not one of the four sustainability teams? Green team? Contractor Partnership? Wildlife Management? It's a big weekend again for college football, and I'm hoping you can help me pick the biggest upset this weekend. Pick the team you think has the best chance of shocking the world on Saturday. Texas? Tennessee? Penn State? Justin your Worley on over to get this week's poll. Joel Walker x30541 http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/ [top] NASA TV Coverage: U.S. Cargo Ship's Departure After delivering almost 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station during a month-long stay, the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is set to leave the orbital laboratory on Saturday, Oct. 25. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to detach from the Earth-facing side of the station's Harmony module and unberth through commands sent by robotic ground controllers in mission control at JSC operating the Canadarm 2 robotic arm. Mission control will maneuver Dragon into place then turn it over to Expedition 41 robotic arm operators Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore of NASA for release, which is scheduled for 8:56 a.m. CDT. NASA TV will provide live coverage of Dragon's departure beginning at 8:30 a.m. Dragon will execute three thruster firings to move away from the station to a safe distance for its deorbit burn at 1:43 p.m. The capsule will splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 2:39 p.m. Neither the deorbit burn nor the splashdown will broadcast on NASA TV. JSC, Ellington Field, Sonny Carter Training Facility and White Sands Test Facility employees with hard-wired computer network connections can view the event using the JSC EZTV IP Network TV System on channel 404 (standard definition) or channel 4541 (HD). Please note: EZTV currently requires using Internet Explorer on a Windows PC or Safari on a Mac. Mobile devices, Wi-Fi, VPN or connections from other centers are currently not supported by EZTV. First-time users will need to install the EZTV Monitor and Player client applications: For those WITH admin rights (Elevated Privileges), you'll be prompted to download and install the clients when you first visit the IPTV website For those WITHOUT admin rights (Elevated Privileges), you can download the EZTV client applications from the ACES Software Refresh Portal (SRP) If you are having problems viewing the video using these systems, contact the Information Resources Directorate Customer Support Center at x46367, or visit the FAQ site. Event Date: Saturday, October 25, 2014   Event Start Time:8:30 AM   Event End Time:9:30 AM Event Location: NASA TV/IPTV Add to Calendar JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x35111 http://www.nasa.gov/station [top] Free Flu Shots Today The Occupational Health Branch "flu fighters" are providing FREE flu shots to JSC civil servants and contractors who are housed on-site TODAY in the Building 30 lobby from 8:30 a.m. to noon. While waiting, please form a single-file line, do not block doors and exits and keep noise to a minimum as a courtesy to personnel working in the building. To expedite the process, PLEASE visit the website below, read the Influenza Vaccine Information Statement and complete the consent form prior to arrival. Please wear clothing that allows easy to access your upper arm (short sleeves or sleeveless). If you can't make it today, we have at least one more day scheduled on Oct. 30. Vaccinations are the single best way to prevent seasonal influenza. Do not forget to cover your coughs and sneezes, wash your hands often—and, if you are sick, please stay home! Event Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014   Event Start Time:8:30 AM   Event End Time:12:00 PM Event Location: Building 30 Lobby Add to Calendar Bob Martel x38581 https://sashare.jsc.nasa.gov/sd/SD3/SitePages/Flu%20Program.aspx [top] JSC Child Care Center Kids Trick or Treat Join us Halloween morning at 9:45 a.m. in front of Building 1 for a frightfully adorable sight. JSC Child Care Center children will start their Halloween costume parade and "creep and crawl" through the mall area, head past Building 12 and end up at Building 45. Brings candy, treats and all your friends to join in the fun! Brooke Stephens x26031 [top] Second Street Lane Closure Please be aware that the easternmost northbound lane of Second Street will be closed FRIDAY until around 4 p.m. Adrianna Kukan x46944 [top] National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Cybersecurity Tip for Today: STOP, THINK, CONNECT Lock it when you leave. It takes only a few seconds to secure your computer and help protect it from unauthorized access. Lock down your computer every time you leave your desk. JSC-IT-Security x37682 [top]    Organizations/Social #JSCelebrate - Dec. 12 Join JSC Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa and JSC senior managers for a celebration of JSC programs and accomplishments on Dec. 12 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Activities will take place in and around the Building 9 Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. The entire JSC team and their families are welcome at this special celebration. Tickets, just $5, will go on sale in early November. What can you expect as part of #JSCelebrate? Food trucks, door prizes and family fun will be on tap for the festivities. Save the date—it's going to be fun! Event Date: Friday, December 12, 2014   Event Start Time:4:30 PM   Event End Time:6:30 PM Event Location: Bldg 9 SVMF Add to Calendar Susan H. Anderson x38630 [top] Don't Forget Today's DAG Meeting The Differently-abled Advisory Group (DAG) will host its monthly meeting TODAY, Oct. 23. DAG meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of February, April, June, August, October and December for one-and-a-half hours in Building 1, Room 106G. We'll meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., so feel free to bring your lunch! Everyone is welcome, so please join us and bring a friend. Accommodations for a specific disability are available upon request. The DAG is hosted by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEOD). For more information, please contact OEOD at 281-483-0607. Event Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:1:00 PM Event Location: Building 1, Room 106G Add to Calendar Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity x30607 http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oeod/ [top] JSC Model Airplane Radio Control Club The JSC Radio Control Club (model airplanes), formerly called the Manned SpaceCraft Radio Control Club, is celebrating its 50th year in 2014! This is a major milestone, and we are celebrating this event in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. This will be a dinner event, and the cost is $10 per person. Some may remember John Kiker and Owen Morris constructing the RC model of the 747 and shuttle. We are opening up this celebration event to all past members of the airplane club and guests, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Mike Laible at 281-226-4192 (work), 713-542-0987 (cell) or via email. Event Date: Thursday, December 11, 2014   Event Start Time:7:00 PM   Event End Time:11:00 PM Event Location: Gilruth, Alamo Ballroom Add to Calendar Mike Laible 713-542-0987 http://www.jscrcc.com [top] Journal Discussion Club: Collaboration The Emerge Employee Resource Group would like to invite anyone at JSC to join us for the second quarterly Journal Discussion Group, where we hope to encourage continued career-long learning and facilitate centerwide networking. Join the director of Human Health and Performance, Jeff Davis, and us as we discuss the topic of "Collaboration," or specifically, as we discuss Gary Pisano's 2008 HBR article, "Which Kind of Collaboration is Right for You?" This short article will be the focal point of the discussion, so if you are interested in participating, please contact David Kelley. He will get you a purchased copy of the article (while supplies last). If you have the opportunity to read the article before the discussion, please do. Either way, please feel free to attend. Anyone can preview the article, and HBR members can read the article for free here. Event Date: Monday, October 27, 2014   Event Start Time:12:00 PM   Event End Time:1:00 PM Event Location: B12/136 Add to Calendar David Kelley x27811 [top] Promote a Drug-Free Workplace: Red Ribbon Week Did you know that according to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 10 percent of Americans use illegal drugs or abuse prescribed drugs? Or that drug abuse is growing among people in their 50s, and that 15 percent of the population report becoming intoxicated at least once a week? Chances are that someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or addiction. Stop by our table and learn what you can do to intervene. The JSC Employee Assistance Program will be in Building 3 Starport Café on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Please stop by and show your support. Event Date: Thursday, October 30, 2014   Event Start Time:11:00 AM   Event End Time:1:00 PM Event Location: Building 3 Cafeteria Add to Calendar Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch x36130 [top] Fright Fest Tomorrow: The Food Trucks are Coming Food trucks will be at the Gilruth Center tomorrow, Oct. 24, as part of Starport's Fright Fest event. Food Trucks Bare Bowls Kitchen The Waffle Bus Angie's Cake Adult beverages available Make sure you come check out all of the great activities going on at the Gilruth Center that evening. Other activities include: Adult  Scares Graveyard Dash 2K - REGISTER NOW Graveyard Trails Kids' Activities Kids Bash - REGISTER NOW Haunted House (kid friendly) Family Halloween movie Thriller Dance Class - FREE - register online now Don't miss this frightfully fun event for the whole family! Event Date: Friday, October 24, 2014   Event Start Time:5:30 PM   Event End Time:9:00 PM Event Location: Gilruth Center Add to Calendar Starport x30304 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/special-events/fright-fest [top] Aerodynamics of Airplanes, Birds & Fish: Nov. 19 You are invited to JSC's SAIC/Safety and Mission Assurance speaker forum featuring Dr. John Lienhard, writer and host of "The Engines of Our Ingenuity," which is heard nationally on public radio. This event is free and open to the public. Please feel free to bring your family/friends (teens and older) and enjoy a night out! Subject: Aerodynamics of Airplanes, Birds and Fish Date/Time: Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 7 to 8 p.m. CST Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom Lienhard will look at the following question and, using photographic evidence, discuss: Does human flight really emulate avian flight? Please share with your friends and add this event to your calendar. Event Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2014   Event Start Time:7:00 PM   Event End Time:8:00 PM Event Location: Gilruth Alamo Ballroom Add to Calendar Della Cardona/Juan Traslavina 281-335-2074/281-335-2272 [top]    Jobs and Training Modern Mentoring Agency Webcast: Oct. 30 In an effort to promote continuous mentoring opportunities around JSC, please join us by participating in the Modern Mentoring Agency webcast. This webcast will provide valuable knowledge focusing on 21st Century style mentoring, demonstrate best practices and give tips on how to better connect across the agency and use the NASA Connect tool. Date: Thursday, Oct. 30 Time: 2:30 to 4 p.m. Location: Tune into the Adobe Connect session here, or attend a viewing party in Building 12, Room 146 Open to all NASA employees Please contact Jennifer Rodriguez or Nicole Hernandez at jsc-jfmp@mail.nasa.gov for more details. Jennifer Rodriguez or Nicole Hernandez x46386 [top] Virtual Workshop: Relationships Matter Relationships Matter: Acknowledging the Importance of Relationships and Practical Ways to Improve Relationships at Work In this mini workshop sponsored by the agency's LASER supervisory-development program, you'll get some tips that will help you understand others better and deal with them more effectively. Learn how to create an environment that supports other people in feeling significant, competent and likable, and how to work with your own and others' defenses as they arise. With this knowledge, you can make more intentional choices about how you want to lead your people and encourage them to fully engage and contribute to NASA's mission. Target Audience: First-line supervisors, as well as other interested supervisors, managers and team leads. Tuesday, Nov. 4, from noon to 3:30 CDT in the Gilruth Center Ballroom. Register in SATERN: LMD-LASER-RM (ID: 76030) Please contact Nancy Garrick at x33076 for more information. Event Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2014   Event Start Time:12:00 AM   Event End Time:3:30 AM Event Location: Gilruth Center Ballroom Add to Calendar Nancy Garrick x33076 [top] Human Systems Academy Lecture Join the Human Systems Academy lecture on "Pharmacy and Pharmacology." This lecture will introduce attendees to both operations and research involved in supplying medications for spaceflight missions. The leads of both the JSC Clinical Pharmacy and the Pharmacology discipline will each discuss what their groups do to ensure a safe and effective supply of medications. Topics will include medications in spaceflight missions past, present and future, including special issues surrounding medications in spaceflight. As space is limited, please register in SATERN. Event Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2014   Event Start Time:1:00 PM   Event End Time:3:00 PM Event Location: B2S/Studio B (Rm 180) Add to Calendar Ruby Guerra x37108 https://sashare.jsc.nasa.gov/hsa/default.aspx [top]    Community Calling All Judges: Inspire the World About Space We invite YOU to be a judge for the 2014 Humans in Space Art Video Challenge. College students and early career professionals have created three-minute-long videos, and judges will evaluate how well these videos address the question, "How will space, science and technology benefit humanity?" Anyone in the NASA community is eligible to be a judge (unless they are a participant in the challenge themselves). Evaluations will be done online in late November and early December. Sign up here. Thank you! The Humans in Space Art Video Challenge organizers Jancy McPhee x42022 http://www.HumansInSpaceArt.org [top] Astronomy Day Astronomy Day is Nov. 8 at the George Observatory inside Brazos Bend State Park. Daytime activities for the kids include face painting and learning the phases of the moon by eating Oreo cookies. There are also outdoor and indoor speakers on various astronomy-related topics, a how-to-make-a-comet demo and telescopes set up to safely observe the sun. Once nighttime arrives, out come all the telescopes! Up to 35 telescopes will be set up for observing the moon, star clusters and nebulae, and there's an opportunity to go inside the observatory's three telescope domes. The Astronomy Day event starts at 3 p.m. and goes (clouds or shine) until 10:30 p.m., but telescope viewing may be impacted by weather. Come have a fun-filled day/night and learn a little astronomy in the process. It's a great time for the whole family! Normal park entry fees apply, but Astronomy Day is FREE! Event Date: Saturday, November 8, 2014   Event Start Time:3:00 PM   Event End Time:10:30 PM Event Location: George Observatory inside Brazos Bend State Park Add to Calendar Jim Wessel x41128 http://www.astronomyday.net/ [top] Continuing the Legacy of Kennedy's Speech at Rice On Nov. 7 from 2:30 to 4 p.m., JSC team members are invited to the Wiess School of Natural Sciences Homecoming lecture and reception. Hear professor of physics and astronomy and Director of the Rice Space Institute David Alexander speak on "Space – the Expanding Frontier: Continuing the Legacy of the Kennedy Speech at Rice Stadium." RSVP by Nov. 3. For more information, contact 713-348-5824 or email. JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs 713-348-5824 [top] Safety and Health Day Shred Truck Saved 60 Trees The shred truck on JSC's Oct. 9 Safety and Health Day collected almost 7,000 pounds of paper in less than three hours—but that's not all. Prior to the shred activity, the NASA Federal Credit Union provided an online seminar, "Organizing Your Financial Records," to educate employees on which records to keep or shred and how to avoid potential identity fraud. Aside from cutting down on identity theft, the shred event also helped preserve the environment. Check out the blog for more event details, along with special offers and educational seminars exclusively for JSC team members. If you weren't able to attend the Organizing Your Financial Records seminar, you can download the presentation and reference materials there too. Rindy Carmichael x45078 [top]

 

JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles. Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.

 

 

NASA and Human Spaceflight News

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014

 

HEADLINES AND LEADS

3rd Spacewalk in 3 Weeks at Space Station

 

Marcia Dunn – Associated Press

 

Spacewalking astronauts doubled as trash men Wednesday, heaving an old science experiment and two antennas overboard at the International Space Station. It was the third spacewalk in as many weeks outside the orbiting lab. This time, it was on the Russian side of the house and went so well that it wrapped up more than two hours early.

 

 

Cosmonauts Breeze Through Speedy Spacewalk at Space Station

 

Megan Gannon – Space.com

 

Two Russian cosmonauts breezed through a spacewalk outside the International Space Station Wednesday (Oct. 22) on a mission to collect old experiments and inspect their orbital home. Clad in bulky Orlan spacesuits, cosmonauts Max Suraev and Alexander Samokutyaev planned to spend about six hours performing maintenance on the station, work that included tossing obsolete gear out into space. But ended up completing their work in just three hours and 38 minutes. 

 

 

NASA silent on Smith request for information

 

Kevin Diaz – Houston Chronicle

 

On Aug. 27, Texas Republican Lamar Smith, chairman of the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee, wrote to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden asking for a status report on the new Space Launch System and Orion crew vehicle, key projects in returning the nation to preeminence in space.

 

 

SLS headquarters developing exploration stage of rocket

 

Josh Barrett – WAAY-TV, Space Alabama

 

The Space Launch System is beginning to take shape. The first test welds were made by the Vertical Assembly Center, the largest spacecraft welding tool in the world, at NASA's Michaud Facility in Louisiana.  But back in Huntsville, at the Marshall Space Flight Center, the program office is already working on the next phases of the rocket, including the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) of the rocket, which will take us to beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) destinations.

 

 

NASA moves ahead with commercial launch program despite protest

 

Aaron Boyd – Federal Times

 

NASA will continue its plans to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) using U.S. commercial contractors by 2017 despite a contract protest filed days after the initial announcement. The space agency awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX on Sept. 16 under the competitively bid Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract. Aeronautics technology firm Sierra Nevada Corp. entered a bid protest on Sept. 26, however NASA announced on Oct. 9 that it planned to move ahead with the initial timetable, citing safety concerns.

 

 

Tennessee grad to talk to SEC Network's Paul Finebaum from space station

 

News Sentinel Staff - Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel

 

The SEC Network's Paul Finebaum on Thursday plans to interview Tennessee native Barry Wilmore, an astronaut now at the International Space Station. Wilmore, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., made a special request this summer to NASA to provide the SEC Network during his time spent orbiting the earth in the space station.

 

 

New Date Set for Wallops Island Orb-3 Mission Launch

 

WBOC-TV

 

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. - A date is now set for the next cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.  The rocket is scheduled for lift off at 6:45 p.m. on October 27. 

 

 

Assembly Complete for NASA's Maiden Orion Spacecraft Launching in December 2014

 

Ken Kremer – Universe Today

 

Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center have completed the final major assembly work on NASA's maiden Orion crew module slated to launch on its first unmanned orbital test flight this December, dubbed Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)

 

 

NASA Spinoffs: 6 Innovations In Health & Medicine

 

Information Week

 

NASA is always looking for ways to improve the health and safety of astronauts in space. Earlier this month, the space agency selected three proposals that could help ensure the mental well-being of astronauts who take part in future deep-space missions. The University of Houston, Thomas Jefferson University, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine will receive a total of approximately $3.2 million over a three-year period as part of NASA's Human Research Program (HRP).  

 

 

JSC MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER TO CLOSE OCT. 23

 

Jason Rhian – Spaceflight Insider

 

NASA's Johnson Space Center Media Resource Center will close its doors on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. The rationale behind the closing was listed as "funding availability." The space agency noted that supporting current events at JSC had received "highest priority." Journalists can now call the JSC Newsroom via telephone to receive access to still and video imagery.

 

 

COMPLETE STORIES

 

3rd Spacewalk in 3 Weeks at Space Station

 

Marcia Dunn – Associated Press

 

Spacewalking astronauts doubled as trash men Wednesday, heaving an old science experiment and two antennas overboard at the International Space Station.

 

It was the third spacewalk in as many weeks outside the orbiting lab. This time, it was on the Russian side of the house and went so well that it wrapped up more than two hours early.

 

Russian spaceman Alexander Samokutyaev used his left gloved hand to shove the antennas away one by one, five minutes apart. He paused dramatically before letting the second one loose, for a better camera view.

 

The dish antennas — 1½ to 2½ feet long — resembled white umbrellas. The first one spun as it drifted away.

 

"It looks like it's going to rain: Antennas are flying low," someone said in Russian.

 

A couple of hours earlier, spacewalker Maxim Suraev released a seismic experiment, essentially a panel stretching 6 feet long and 4½ feet across.

 

"Three cheers," someone noted in Russian. "This is an event of some note."

 

The panel, shining yellow in the station spotlights, slowly spun in circles as it tumbled away into the blackness 260 miles up. The experiment was launched in 2011 to monitor earthquakes and had completed its job. The antennas were launched in 2009 aboard a Russian mini-research module; they were determined to be in the way of future spacewalkers.

 

NASA's Mission Control in Houston said analyses were conducted to ensure the objects would not come back and smash into the space station.

 

All three discarded items should orbit for several months, possibly even a year, before burning up in the atmosphere.

 

The Russian Space Agency, unlike NASA, routinely gets rid of old equipment by setting it loose in orbit.

 

The spacewalkers joked and chuckled as they worked to remove the antennas from the station's hull. As Samokutyaev repeatedly opened and closed his cable cutters, Suraev observed, "Don't cut my finger off."

 

"No, I think I will not do that. It's just too far away to walk to the station," Samokutyaev replied.

 

A hard rubber washer almost got away from Samokutyaev, but he managed to catch it. He was urged to keep it as a good luck charm.

 

Their garbage work completed early, the spacewalkers turned their attention to inspection. They collected samples from windows and elsewhere outside the Russian segment to check for engine exhaust and other materials.

 

The pair wrapped everything up in 3½ hours, versus the originally allotted six hours.

 

"It seems like we did everything so quickly," one of the spacewalkers said. "I would like to stay out some more."

 

During each of the previous two weeks, American spacewalkers took care of some outside maintenance.

 

The crew now gets a break: The next spacewalk isn't until January.

 

Altogether, six people live on the orbiting lab: three Russians, two Americans and one German.

 

 

Cosmonauts Breeze Through Speedy Spacewalk at Space Station

 

Megan Gannon – Space.com

 

Two Russian cosmonauts breezed through a spacewalk outside the International Space Station Wednesday (Oct. 22) on a mission to collect old experiments and inspect their orbital home.

 

Clad in bulky Orlan spacesuits, cosmonauts Max Suraev and Alexander Samokutyaev planned to spend about six hours performing maintenance on the station, work that included tossing obsolete gear out into space. But ended up completing their work in just three hours and 38 minutes. 

 

The cosmonauts began their spacewalk at about 9:28 a.m. EDT (1328 GMT) by collecting an experiment called Radiometria, which was designed to collect information on earthquakes and seismic activity on Earth. The instrument, which was installed on the Russian Zvezda service module in 2011, was no longer in operation, and the cosmonauts jettisoned the device toward the rear of the space station. [See photos of the spacewalk]

 

Once that task was complete, Suraev and Samokutyaev moved over to the Poisk research module with cable-cutters to remove cables and bolts holding two no-longer-needed antennas in place. The pair also took swabs from a window as part of an experiment to measure microbial growth on the outside of the orbiting lab. And they took photos and video of handrails and other equipment to document the condition of the parts on the Russian section of the lab.

 

Despite their efficiency, Suraev and Samokutyaev did find time to take pictures of each other and enjoy looking at the cloud-dotted Earth from above.

 

"It's so beautiful — look at my view," one of them said just before re-entering the space station. "We had enough walking outside. Time to go home."

 

A NASA commentator in Mission Control in Houston said the discarded experiment and antennas had "no potential for recontacting the space station" but they will be tracked as they orbit Earth and eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

 

Today's endeavor marked the second spacewalk for both Suraev and Samokutyaev — and the third spacewalk outside the space station in just three weeks. On Oct. 8, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman performed a spacewalk with European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst. Wiseman and NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore completed another spacewalkon Oct. 15. Those five men and Russian cosmonaut Elena Serova make up the laboratory's six-person Expedition 41.

 

Construction on the space station began in 1998, and since 2000, rotating crews of astronauts have continuously occupied the $100 billion space lab. A total of 184 spacewalks (or 1,152 hours worth of spacewalks) have been performed in support of maintenance and assembly on the astronaut outpost.

 

 

NASA silent on Smith request for information

 

Kevin Diaz – Houston Chronicle

 

On Aug. 27, Texas Republican Lamar Smith, chairman of the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee, wrote to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden asking for a status report on the new Space Launch System and Orion crew vehicle, key projects in returning the nation to preeminence in space.

 

Other than a cursory acknowledgement that NASA received the letter, Smith got crickets.

 

A September 10 committee deadline passed, and still no reply.

 

So on Wednesday, Smith tried again, firing off a letter to NASA complaining that the agency has ignored a number of requests for information this year.

 

Similarly, NASA public affairs officials did not respond to requests from the Chronicle on Wednesday asking about Smith's complaint, which is t that the information he seeks is necessary for the committee's oversight responsibilities.

 

The exchange, or lack thereof, follows allegations by some House Republicans that the Obama administration has underfunded the programs, which are at the center of a debate about NASA's future focus.

 

For now, Smith has pushed his deadline back to Oct. 28.

 

 

SLS headquarters developing exploration stage of rocket

 

Josh Barrett – WAAY-TV, Space Alabama

 

The Space Launch System is beginning to take shape.  The first test welds were made by the Vertical Assembly Center, the largest spacecraft welding tool in the world, at NASA's Michaud Facility in Louisiana.  But back in Huntsville, at the Marshall Space Flight Center, the program office is already working on the next phases of the rocket, including the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) of the rocket, which will take us to beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) destinations.

 

"We're just starting the studies of that now of what that upper stage looks like, what missions we could do, and how we could do it," said Steve Creech, the deputy manager at the SLS project evolution office.

 

The SLS is in a sense not just one heavy-lift vehicle, and it will take a few variant shapes in its lifetime.  The first block 1 variant will have a lift capacity of 70 tons, which will be able to take us on missions in cislunar space.  But further evolutions of the vehicle will enable missions to asteroids, Mars and to even further destinations like Jupiter's moon Europa.

 

"We want to provide that capability and evolve this vehicle over time to where it can do the most for the most missions," Creech said.

 

A request for information is currently out for engine proposals for the EUS.  NASA relies on industry partners and academic institutions to help with groundbreaking ideas that push technological boundaries.  More powerful engines for the upper stage of the rocket would allow for even more weight to be taken to Mars.

 

The timeline for a manned Mars mission extends into the 2030s.  NASA plans to stretch funding for the program until that time to further develop the capabilities needed for such a mission.  Technological advances are still needed before we can make it to the Red Planet.

 

"The idea is that over time you expand that envelope and do missions in the interim that could help lead us to Mars," Creech said.

Some of those technologies include things like a 3D printer that could make replacement parts and tools in mission, a near 100% efficient life support system for air and water recycling and radiation shielding.  Much of that research is going on right now aboard the International Space Station.

 

The SLS maiden voyage is set for 2018, but the Orion capsule, which will take our astronauts to Mars, will have its first test flight on December 4 of this year.

 

 

NASA moves ahead with commercial launch program despite protest

 

Aaron Boyd – Federal Times

 

NASA will continue its plans to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) using U.S. commercial contractors by 2017 despite a contract protest filed days after the initial announcement.

 

The space agency awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX on Sept. 16 under the competitively bid Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract. Aeronautics technology firm Sierra Nevada Corp. entered a bid protest on Sept. 26, however NASA announced on Oct. 9 that it planned to move ahead with the initial timetable, citing safety concerns.

 

"Failure to provide the CCtCap transportation service as soon as possible poses risks to the ISS crew, jeopardizes continued operation of the ISS, would delay meeting critical crew size requirements and may result in the U.S. failing to perform the commitments it made in its international agreements," NASA said in a release issued Wednesday.

 

 

Tennessee grad to talk to SEC Network's Paul Finebaum from space station

 

News Sentinel Staff - Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel

 

The SEC Network's Paul Finebaum on Thursday plans to interview Tennessee native Barry Wilmore, an astronaut now at the International Space Station.

 

Wilmore, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., made a special request this summer to NASA to provide the SEC Network during his time spent orbiting the earth in the space station.

 

Wilmore, who holds a Master of Science degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute, left for the International Space Station in September and will assume command of the station in November.

 

Finebaum and Wilmore will talk about the space mission, Wilmore's take on the SEC thus far and the Tennessee vs. Alabama matchup, among other topics, according to an SEC Network news release.

 

The interview will air during "The Paul Finebaum Show," 3-7 p.m. ET. The interview will also be posted online at http://secsports.go.com/watch.

 

 

New Date Set for Wallops Island Orb-3 Mission Launch

 

WBOC-TV

 

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. - A date is now set for the next cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.  The rocket is scheduled for lift off at 6:45 p.m. on October 27. 

 

The Orb-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission was delayed because Hurricane Gonzalo hit an area of Bermuda where there is a rocket tracking station.  After inspection, NASA and Orbital established the new launch date.

 

NASA says Orbital is launching the Orb-3 mission to orbit several days earlier than necessary to preserve schedule flexibility and time its arrival at the station to conform to other visiting vehicle operations.

 

According to NASA, the Cygnus spacecraft is fully fueled and loaded with most of its cargo bound for the ISS.  It has already been mated with the Antares rocket that will launch it into low-Earth orbit. NASA says the remaining time sensitive "final load" cargo will be placed onboard Thursday, October 23.

 

On Friday, October 24, the Antares rocket will be rolled out from the Horizontal Integration Facility to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch pad located about a mile away at the Wallops Flight Facility.

 

 

Assembly Complete for NASA's Maiden Orion Spacecraft Launching in December 2014

 

Ken Kremer – Universe Today

 

Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center have completed the final major assembly work on NASA's maiden Orion crew module slated to launch on its first unmanned orbital test flight this December, dubbed Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)

 

After first attaching the Launch Abort System (LAS) to the top of the capsule, engineers carefully installed a fairing composed of a set of four ogive panels over the crew module and the abort systems lower structural framework joining them together.

 

"The ogive panels smooth the airflow over the conical spacecraft to limit sound and vibration, which will make for a much smoother ride for theastronauts who will ride inside Orion in the future," according to a NASA description.

 

Upon finishing the panel assembly work inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the teams cleared the last major hurdle before the Orion stack is rolled out to launch pad 37 in mid-November and hoisted to the top of the Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Technicians complete final assembly of NASA's first Orion spacecraft with installation of the last ogive close out panels on the Launch Abort System that smooth airflow. Credit: Photo credit: Kim Shiflett

 

The Orion stack is comprised of the LAS, crew module (CM) and service module (SM).

 

The maiden blastoff of the state-of-the-art Orion spacecraft on the EFT-1 mission is slated for December 4, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida atop the triple barreled United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy booster.

 

Orion is NASA's next generation human rated vehicle that will eventually carry America's astronauts beyond Earth on voyages venturing farther into deep space than ever before – beyond the Moon to Asteroids, Mars, and other destinations in our Solar System.

 

The two-orbit, four and a half hour EFT-1 flight around Earth will lift the Orion spacecraft and its attached second stage to an orbital altitude of 3,600 miles, about 15 times higher than the International Space Station (ISS) – and farther than any human spacecraft has journeyed in 40 years. It will test the avionics and electronic systems inside the Orion spacecraft.

 

Then the spacecraft will travel back through the atmosphere at speeds approaching 20,000 mph and temperatures near 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit to test the heat shield, before splashing down for a parachute assisted landing in the Pacific Ocean.

 

The LAS plays a critically important role to ensure crew safety.

 

In case of an emergency situation, the LAS is designed to ignite within milliseconds to rapidly propel the astronauts inside the crew module away from the rocket and save the astronauts' lives. The quartet of LAS abort motors would generate some 500,000 pounds of thrust to pull the capsule away from the rocket.

 

And don't forget that you can fly your name on Orion and also print out an elegant looking "boarding pass."

Details below and in my article – here.

 

NASA announced that the public can submit their names for inclusion on a dime-sized microchip that will travel on Orion and succeeding spacecraft voyaging to destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, including Mars.

The deadline to submit your name is soon: Oct 31, 2014.

 

Click on this weblink posted online by NASA today: http://go.usa.gov/vcpz

 

"NASA is pushing the boundaries of exploration and working hard to send people to Mars in the future," said Mark Geyer, Orion Program manager, in a NASA statement.

 

"When we set foot on the Red Planet, we'll be exploring for all of humanity. Flying these names will enable people to be part of our journey."

 

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Orion and Earth and planetary science and human spaceflight news.

 

 

NASA Spinoffs: 6 Innovations In Health & Medicine

 

Information Week

 

NASA is always looking for ways to improve the health and safety of astronauts in space. Earlier this month, the space agency selected three proposals that could help ensure the mental well-being of astronauts who take part in future deep-space missions. The University of Houston, Thomas Jefferson University, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine will receive a total of approximately $3.2 million over a three-year period as part of NASA's Human Research Program (HRP).  

 

Two of the proposals will focus on neurobehavioral conditions and standardized behavioral measures for use on space missions. The third proposal will study the neurobehavioral effects of a dynamic lighting system on the International Space Station (ISS). Although the research primarily focuses on challenging space missions, the findings could contribute to better health treatments for Americans, NASA said.

 

The concept of applying technologies used in space to enhance the lives of people on Earth is what drives NASA's spinoff program. A spinoff is a technology that was originally developed for NASA missions, and was then transferred to the public for commercial use. The agency documents these technologies in an annual publication, which has featured more than 1,800 spinoffs since its launch in 1976. The spinoffs are transferred through licensing, funding agreements, assistance from NASA experts, and the use of NASA facilities, as well as partnerships between NASA and the private sector, academia, federal agencies, and other organizations.

 

On the medical front, NASA spinoffs have included everything from life-saving devices to superconductors that enable less costly MRI systems. Among the 44 innovations featured in Spinoff 2012 was a robot that roams hospital halls, registering patients and logging their vital signs. Inspired by NASA's Mars rovers, Vecna Technologies created the QC Bot, which comes with a configurable touch screen that allows interaction with hospital staff and patients. Also, the robot's location can be communicated to hospital workstations and mobile devices, so doctors and nurses can call on it to transport laundry, meals, or anything else they need.

The latest edition of the publication, Spinoff 2013, spotlights more innovations in health and medicine, including a system that enables patients to manage their medication at home. It initially started out as a device to store and transmit information about astronauts' health on the ISS. Astronauts are encouraged to maintain a healthy amount of bone and muscle mass while in space, such as by exercising on a treadmill (pictured).

 

Click through our slideshow to learn more about the 2013 NASA health and medicine spinoffs. http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/patient-tools/nasa-spinoffs-6-innovations-in-health-and-medicine/d/d-id/1316685?image_number=3

 

 

JSC MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER TO CLOSE OCT. 23

 

Jason Rhian – Spaceflight Insider

 

NASA's Johnson Space Center Media Resource Center will close its doors on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. The rationale behind the closing was listed as "funding availability." The space agency noted that supporting current events at JSC had received "highest priority." Journalists can now call the JSC Newsroom via telephone to receive access to still and video imagery.

 

Requests can also be submitted electronically or via mail. JSC has asked the media to return outstanding video loan materials as requested in the loan agreement. The agency closed the announcement about JSC's Media Resource Center with the following statement:

 

The Media Resource Center has enjoyed working with all of its clients over the years, and wishes everyone the very best as you continue to cover the exciting activities ahead in NASA's future.

 

 

END

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