Fwd: nasa news == my version

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: December 29, 2014 at 10:35:02 AM CST
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: nasa news == my version

Whole heartedly agree with the last article…but didn't need a study to confirm it…

 

 

Don't forget our monthly NASA retirees lunch is delayed to next Thursday January 8^th at Hibachi Grill   at 11:30

 

 

 

 

TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEADING THE NEWS

• Astronauts Show What Christmas Is Like In Space.

NASA NEWS

• 2014 Reviews Highlight Accomplishments In Space.

• NASA Said To Be "Crazy" If It Does Not Start Europa Mission.

• Georgia Schools Tackling Engineering Problems Through NASA Design Challenges.

HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS

• Team Simulating Mars Mission In Hawaii.

• ISS Could Help NASA Learn To Make Astronaut Missions More Autonomous.

• Next SpaceX Launch Has Role In Company's Plans For Mars Mission One Day.

• Company Supplied New Alloy For Orion.

• Federal Grant Helping Laid-Off Shuttle Workers Ends.

• Serova Conducts Spontaneous Apple Seed Experiment.

• NASA-Funded Study Shows The Importance Of Naps.

LEADING THE NEWS

Astronauts Show What Christmas Is Like In Space.

ABC News (12/25, Mohney, 5.02M) reported on how the astronauts aboard the ISS celebrated Christmas, even leaving "powdered milk and freeze dried cookies" for Santa Claus. Astronaut Terry Vicks and others are also tweeting images "of what the holiday looks like in zero gravity." Meanwhile, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti released "a moving rendition of the song 'Imagine.'"

        SPACE (12/25, Dickerson, 276K) noted that NASA spokesman Joshua Buck said that the astronauts would have Christmas "off, spend time together enjoying their time off, looking out the window and generally taking it easy."

        Florida Today (12/27, Dean, 151K), Vox (12/25, Stromberg, 344K), AOL (12/25, 12.52M), WTVY-TV Dothan, AL (12/26, 2K) website, RT (RUS) (12/24, 346K), Universe Today (12/24, Kremer, 9K), WLUK-TV Green Bay, WI (12/26, 7:45 a.m. CST, 45K), and over 100 other local TV broadcasts also covered the story.

   

NASA NEWS

2014 Reviews Highlight Accomplishments In Space.

The Denver Post (12/28, Keeney, 1.12M) continued reviews to the last year in space, with a focus on how Colorado as a state had a big year because it was involved in major projects like the first launch of the Orion capsule and the MAVEN mission, which arrived at Mars. The article also noted the ties to the launch of the WorldView-3 satellite and Dream Chaser spacecraft, which failed to win a NASA commercial crew contract.

        Voice of America (12/25, Putic, 99K) noted that the "biggest achievements of 2014," whether successes like a spacecraft landing on a comet, the launch of Orion, and the arrival of MAVEN at Mar, or failures like Orbital Sciences and Virgin Galactic's accidents, took place in the latter half of the year.

       

NASA Said To Be "Crazy" If It Does Not Start Europa Mission.

Discovery News (12/26, Klotz, 417K) continued coverage of how NASA received $100 million to start work on an mission to Europa in the recently-passed budget. Casey Dreier, advocacy director with the Planetary Society, wrote that although such a mission still needs the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, NASA would be "crazy" not to work on the mission.

Georgia Schools Tackling Engineering Problems Through NASA Design Challenges.

The Athens (AL) News Courier (12/26, Croomes, 18K) reported on a partnership between NASA and Athens, Georgia area schools. The Design Challenges for the Classroom program will give students "real-world problems" that NASA engineers tackle, according to Athens Middle School assistant principal Chris Pennington. The goal of the program is to promote interest in STEM fields.

HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS

Team Simulating Mars Mission In Hawaii.

NBC Nightly News (12/28, story 10, 2:20, Holt, 7.86M) broadcast on how a group in Hawaii is taking part in a NASA-funded study "to look at how a small group of people can work together isolated from the rest of society." Reporter Hallie Jackson said that this project aims "to simulate a real manned mission" to Mars. Kim Binsted of the University of Hawaii said that part of the mission is to learn how to detect psychological problems with crew members "before they become serious."

        Mars One Candidate Also Trying To Participate In Mars Society Simulation. NPR (12/27, 2.22M) "All Things Considered" profiled Lt. Heidi Beemer, who is in the running to be selected as part of the crew to be sent to Mars on a one-way trip with Mars One. She will learn whether she will be among the final group of 40 to 50 candidates next year. Meanwhile, as "a plan B," Beemer is also one of 21 finalists competing to take part in the Mars Society's Mars Arctic 365 program, "a one-year simulated Mars exploration mission planned for next year in the high arctic."

        Experiment Could Test "Pee Power" On Mars. The Cincinnati Enquirer (12/25, Balmert, 521K) reported that Gerardine Botte, director of Ohio University's Center for Electrochemical Engineering Research, designed a "pee power" experiment that is now a finalist in a Mars One competition. Her GreenBox would take an astronaut's urine and break it down into potable water and "fuel-grade hydrogen" for use as an energy source. If selected, it will be sent to Mars in 2018 on a robotic mission.

        The AP (12/26) also covered the story, citing the Enquirer piece. UberGizmo (12/28, Kee, 5K) has additional coverage.

        Blog Coverage. Matt Williams at Universe Today (12/26, 9K) has similar coverage about another experiment participating in the Mars One competition. This one would release cyanobacteria into Mars' atmosphere to convert carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen. Williams noted that the team is benefiting from current ISS research involving cyanobacteria.

ISS Could Help NASA Learn To Make Astronaut Missions More Autonomous.

In a 7100-word article, Charles Fishman at the Atlantic (12/27, 10.91M) wrote about how "strange" it is that the ISS, a "stunning achievement" in space that has been operating continuously for years, is "completely ignored" by the public. Fishman commented that this is a "disservice" to NASA and those that serve at it. While noting that the ISS is "more thrilling and dangerous" and much more difficult than many on Earth would think, Fishman focused on how regimented astronaut life is currently. NASA currently "struggles" to balance the needs of the astronauts with the requirement to get as much done as possible. To Fishman, one of the biggest challenges to overcome that no one expected is "learning to let astronauts manage their own lives in space." The "real value" of the ISS could be to make astronauts more autonomous in space.

        NASA Releases New App All About The ISS. The Indo-Asian News Service (12/28) reported on a new NASA app called the "Space Station Earthquake Explorer," which has "everything you need to know about" the ISS. The apps includes an experiments section, a "benefits" section, and even a media section with "podcasts, videos and games."

       

Next SpaceX Launch Has Role In Company's Plans For Mars Mission One Day.

The Washington Post (12/25, Davenport, 4.9M) "Wonkblog" continued coverage of how SpaceX will attempt an "audacious maneuver" to land its Falcon 9 rocket booster on a barge on the next mission to the ISS. The article, noting the risks and difficulties, characterized the work as part of Elon Musk's goals of colonizing Mars one day.

        The Orlando (FL) Sentinel (12/27, Powers, 822K) examined SpaceX's launch plans for the next few years, starting with the ISS mission in January. It now has 40 launches on its books, "include five for launching the Falcon Heavy." According to John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington University's Space Policy Institute, SpaceX is aiming to become the "dominant player in space activity," adding that this is not solely based on its missions for NASA.

        CNN's Money (12/26, Pagliery) also covered the story.

Company Supplied New Alloy For Orion.

WVNS-TV Bluefield, WV (12/26, 11:25 p.m. EST, 1K) broadcast that Constellium Rolled Products provided a "new lithium-infused aluminum alloy" used by the Orion spacecraft during its test flight earlier this month.

        The Charleston (WV) Gazette (12/24, Constantino, 44K) also covers the story.

        Work On Orion Helps Air Force Cadets Become Better Officers. The Colorado Springs (CO) Gazette (12/28, Roeder, 143K) reported that Air Force Academy cadets contributed to the Orion project by conducting wind tunnel tests starting in 2006, which allowed the capsule's designers to understand "how small forces can affect the stability of the capsule as it falls." The cadets also helped develop Orion's parachute system. The article noted that Tom Yechout, an academy aeronautics professor, believes that by working on this NASA projects, the cadets do become "better officers" in the future.

        Blog Coverage. Eric Berger at the Houston Chronicle (12/24, 2.47M) posted NASA flight director Milt Heflin's account of recovering the Orion capsule from the sea because of his "unique vantage point" of having done the same during the Apollo program. Heflin said that the "magnificent teamwork" he saw between "NASA, the Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin and various contractors" was very similar to what took place decades ago. Heflin concluded that if others "get the hell out of the way" of NASA and others, they can succeed in sending people deeper into space because they are "incredibly talented and capable."

Federal Grant Helping Laid-Off Shuttle Workers Ends.

Florida Today (12/27, Dean, 151K) reported that this month, a Federal grant which helped "some of the roughly 8,000 laid-off shuttle contractors find jobs" ended. According to records, as of September 30, close to 3,000 people benefited from the grant, with over 2,000 finding jobs.

Serova Conducts Spontaneous Apple Seed Experiment.

Russia Beyond The Headlines (12/27, Zavyalova) reported that cosmonaut Elena Serova has conducted "a spontaneous experiment" to see how apple seeds germinate in space. The article posted several of Serova's posts describing the experiment, which has resulted in a tree that is now two months old.

NASA-Funded Study Shows The Importance Of Naps.

TIME (12/27, Barker, 23.35M) explored in-depth five ways to be "smarter," according to research. One of the ways listed is by taking naps. According to a NASA-funded study, astronauts who napped for fifteen minutes had "markedly improved" performance, even if there was no "increase in alertness or the ability to pay more attention to a boring task."