Everest Update

Scott Parazynski Everest Update: 30 April 2008 - Back at Base Camp, EverestOnOrbit

"Keith Cowing 30 April 2008 10:20 pm EST: I just got a phone call from Scott Parazynski at Everest Base Camp. He reports that he and his team feel great and that they returned to Everest Base Camp yesterday from Camp II after a 4 day stay. This was their second rotation up to Camp II which is also known as Advanced Base Camp. Camp II is located at 6,065 meters (19,900 feet)."

1st Day's Trek, NASA Everest Trek

"Yesterday we started the trek to Mt. Everest. We took a small prop plane from Kathmandu to Lukla. It was a short forty minute flight. The landing was very interesting, as the runway was built into a mountain. There was a cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other."

Jack Schmitt Talks About A Return to the Moon

Reader note: "Dear NASA Watch, I thought some of the NASA Watch readers might be interested in the YouTube video(s) from a recent lecture by Jack Schmitt, head of the NASA Advisory Council. Jack spoke to a full house at an IMAX theater in Houston, fielded 40 minutes of questions, gave a lecture entitled "Return to the Moon: What it was like and what it will be like", and then fielded another 25 minutes of questions. Jack also signed copies of his book for 2.5 hours after the lecture events. I'd be glad to have half his stamina when I'm that age!"

http://www.spacecenterlectureseries.com/
http://www.spacecenterlectureseries.com/past.html

NASA did not establish the Orion SRB in accordance with Federal law

NASA OIG: Final Memorandum on the Standing Review Board for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle Project

"NASA did not establish the Orion SRB in accordance with Federal law or NASA guidance. The Orion SRB meets the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) definition of an advisory committee. Although FACA committees must be established in accordance with FACA and NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 1150.11, "Federal Advisory Committee Act Committees," September 22, 2004, the Orion SRB was not."

Editor's note: According to NASA PAO the Orion SRB membership consists of: Ed Gibson (chair) SAIC, Chester Sasaki, JPL, Richard Greathouse, NASA, Robert Bechtel, consultant, Ken Bowersox, consultant, Warren Brasher, consultant, Jack Garman, LM/Larc, Rick Green, JPL, Dave Hamilton, NASA, Neil Hutchinson, SAIC, Jim Jaax, consultant, Gary Johnson, consultant, Bob Kichak, NASA, Dave Kuntz, Sandia, Jack Lee, consultant, Al Louviere, SAIC, Charlie Mars, consultant, John Niehoff, SAIC, and Guru Shing, JPL.

Inspector General: Conflict of interest on NASA review board, AP

"An expert on government ethics said the conflict was "a flagrant abuse and Congress should investigate." "Not only is NASA ready to challenge the laws of physics, it appears more than willing to challenge the laws of Congress," said New York University professor Paul Light."

Gen Y SMC Pitch Feedback

Editor's note: Comments? Send them to nasawatch@spaceref.com. Comments below.

Reader note: "Mr. Cowing, A couple of things regarding the Gen Y pitch you posted on NASAWatch on 4/25/08, just for the heck of it.

Second, something in the above item made me think about the real message of that Gen Y NASA pitch, so I re-read that pitch. My conclusion - Gen Y is all about Gen Y, even the NASA Gen Y folks. Except for one bullet, the first sub-bullet on Page 20 (by Adobe Reader's count - don't they teach Gen Y folks about page numbers, especially on LONG presentations?), the thrust of the entire presentation seems to be: What can you old farts do for us? [ Editor's note: Editor's note: This is my fault - I converted this presentation to pdf from Powerpoint]

Sure, us old farts can do a lot for the Gen Y folks. But what can they do in return other than help provide better inter-center communication and so forth? Not that I EXPECT them to do anything special. But I didn't start working at NASA by expecting to be given project management responsibilities my second month on the job just because I was young and a lot of the folks at the time were already semi-close to retirement!

Anonymous
Houston (JSC Civil Servant, 30 years, 10 months Civil Service time)

Rivers Lamb

Editor's note: With regard to comments by Rivers Lamb, I am totally confused as to how anyone could say that this presentation is "not about Gen Y". It is filled with direct references to one generation or another and closes with "We propose to engage the current workforce in cross-generation discussions at every center, cross-center discussions at the agency, and connections with the American Public."

Indeed, the titles of both presentations clearly suggest that the focus is on Gen Y/Next Gen issues i.e. the first presentation from March 2008 is titled "Generation Y Perspectives". The April 2008 presentation is titled "SMC Next Gen Presentation".

Now, this next statement may seem somewhat biased, but the attitude among all the engineers where I work at and KSC, including us "Gen Y'ers" (God I hate that phrase) is a pure "get the job done" attitude. We don't discuss ways to blog about our job, we don't complain about how we don't have a word in every management decision. We have a job, we have a deadline, and we get that job done in that deadline, and I feel that's an honest assessment of how all engineers (and technicians and machinists as well) feel, regardless of age or generation. From the list of described contributors, the only KSC person specifically mentioned was a budget analyst. Why didn't whoever picked that panel bother to get an engineer on the NASA side and not some front office person? Probably because the engineer's too busy getting us ready for launch. I know several of them on both the Shuttle and Constellation side, and they're opinion on things is totally opposite of that presentation. Sure they notice an age gap, but regardless of age, its how you do your job that earns you the respect and the equality, not some sense of age affirmative action that that presentation pushes for. If you're an idiot, you get treated like one. If you're smart and a hardworker, your older colleagues treat you as an equal.

Congress Pushes for More Money, Science, at NASA

Texans in Congress try to boost NASA budget, Houston Chronicle

"In the Senate, Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, said she was asking colleagues to add at least $1 billion to the NASA budget. Hutchison said she wants to add one more shuttle flight in order to ferry the $1.5 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the international space station to study the energy-producing possibilities of cosmic rays. "We're not giving NASA the priority it should have," said Hutchison, a member of the Senate Republican leadership. "It should remain the premier agency for innovation and research."

IFPTE Comments on NASA Budget Boost Letter

IFPTE Letter To House Appropriators Regarding Bipartisan Letter Requesting Additional Funding for NASA

"In addition to the immediate, beneficial stimulatory impacts of increasing NASA's budget, the critically needed supplemental funding will revitalize long-term investments in our Nation's future. Unless Congress takes significant steps today to ensure NASA's success across all of its vital missions by providing appropriate funding for its broad array of responsibilities, we may very well relinquish America's future leadership in civil and military aviation, Earth and Space Science, and Aerospace technology, leaving our children to look eastward as the European Union and China move quickly to capitalize on our complacency."

Things Are Getting Weird at MSFC: Absentee Management at the Top

Disturbing E-Mail Goes Out to NASA Employees, WHNT

Editor's note: When employees take dramatic actions such as this - i.e. to circumvent traditional management chains to raise both personal - and important workforce issues - it is symptomatic of managerial insensitivity and incompetence at the top. Dave King should be taking this very seriously - as a personal failure in his own management of MSFC - not something an employee did that requires a reprimand.

Reader note: This is an email that was sent by a Marshall employee yesterday. It was sent as a mass email (Marshall-wide global). Management response: "A MSFC employee sent a mass e-mail to the Marshall workforce today. We are taking appropriate action to provide assistance and to maintain a safe work environment for all of our employees. Due to Privacy Act considerations, we cannot comment further. Dave King, Director".
 
Email message below:

From: [DELETED] (MSFC-ET10)
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 9:40 AM
To:
Subject: CHANGING OUR THINKING

[DELETED]

NASA Watch 3.0

Editor's note: You may see a new look and feel for NASA Watch appearing - and then disappearing. That's NASA Watch 3.0. We hope to have it online in the next few days or so. We're fiddling with things right now - so please excuse the mess. Once everything is working, we'll be featuring guest bloggers, a moderated comment feature, tagging capability for sites such as Digg, and a number of social networking and Web 2.0 features that further integrate our SpaceRef.com news, OnOrbit.com networking, and search capabilities.

It is rather amazing to see what can be done these days - considering that I started NASA Watch on a Mac Classic II webserver on an ISDN line in our condo in 1996 - and was coding HTML by hand. I was blogging before the word had even been coined. Oh well. I am certain NASA Watch 4.0 will be under development soon enough. Stay tuned.

Changes in Thinking at NASA, PBS Newshour, 29 November 1996. Scroll down a bit. Back then this website was called "NASA RIF Watch".

"Keith Cowing follows all of this in cyberspace. He's a former NASA engineer who set up an Internet site that functions as a kind of super water cooler for all of NASA's far-flung employees. He calls it "RIF Watch." It features rumors, editorial comment, jokes, cartoons. It also frequently publishes high-level internal memos that NASA employees send to Cowing. He says there are a lot of unhappy people out there in NASA Land."

Dammit Jim, I am a biologist, not an engineer.

Life Science at NASA: Fixing A Problem That You Caused

Q&A With John H. Marburger, Chronicle of Higher Education

"The NASA budget -- people may complain about it, but it's still grown. It's still a very substantial fraction of everything else. The administration's been trying to repair the imbalance between life science and physical science, which is a problem."

Editor's note: That's hilarious - given that the current problem with life sciences was actually caused by by the Bush Administration in the first place. Didn't they brief Marburger on this?

Rockets Vs Fish

CCA Florida issues comments opposing NASA launch sites, Sport Fishing

"We have strong objections to both proposed alternatives. The Mosquito Lagoon and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge areas are premier destinations in Florida's six billion dollar saltwater recreational fishery. Florida's recreational fishery is one of the major economic engines driving Florida's tourist economy," said Ted Forsgren, CCA Florida Executive Director."

Reader note: "In reference to "Rockets vs Fish", this is not without precedence. JAXA deals with this very issue. Their launch facility at Tanegashima has to work around the schedule for seasonal fishing, which is a primary industry of Japan. This can and does affect launch schedules from their facility. I can certainly respect the desires of local fishermen to keep their areas pristine, but ultimately both sides have to work together to do what's best for commercialization of space, providing recreational services to the public, and maintaining the economic benefits of the region."

What A Surprise: Astronauts Are Normal

NASA List of books, movies, television shows, and music maintained on the International Space Station (ISS) for recreational/off-duty consumption, (pdf) governmentattic.org

Source of document: JSC FOIA Public Liaison Officer: "Ten Day MBA", "The Vor Game", "The Federalist Papers", "Bachelor Party", "A Tale of Two Cities", "So I Married an Axe Murderer", "Wedding Crashers", "Hogan's Heroes", "Alien Infection", "A Charlie Brown Christmas", "Life of Brian" ...

For those of you who don't think prizes work

Winning the Water Problem, Islamica Magazine

"Having discovered that millions of Bangladeshis could be poisoned through arsenic in their drinking water, a non-profit foundation launched a prize for the man who could prevent the crisis. The prize was won by a Bengali chemist who has not only cleaned up the water, but also gave all of his million-dollar prize money away."

Students Call The ISS

ARISS Status April 28, 2008, ISS Fan Club

"Upcoming School Contacts: The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) in Washington, D.C. has been approved for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Saturday, May 3 at 15:52 UTC via the telebridge station NN1SS in Greenbelt. This year Space Day will celebrate the 50th anniversary of NASA and NASA's achievements through space exploration. Youth, ages 12 -18, will participate."

HSPD-12 Update - A Step Backward

Media Advisory HSPD-12 JPL: Court Withdraws Finding of Friday April 25
 
"Robert M. Nelson, a Senior Research Scientist at JPL and the lead plaintiff in the JPL case said, "Our attorneys remind us that the judicial system involves a very deliberate process. We will remain patient and let the judicial activity run its course. While we are waiting, NASA and Caltech are forbidden, under the existing temporary injunction, from conducting the intrusive personal background investigations ordered under HSPD#12.""

NASA JPL HSPD-12 Media Advisory: Court Denies Government Petition for Injunction Review, earlier update

Gen Y Crowd Takes Notice of NASA Spinoff For Seniors

iShoe: NASA Technology Aids Senior Citizens, College Mogul

"The iShoe won't help senior citizens walk on the moon, but its NASA technology will help rehabilitate the wearer's ability to balance. The insole was originally developed for NASA to enable astronauts to balance in outer space, where it has been tested extensively by astronauts aboard the space shuttle and Mir space station. For $10, the piece of NASA technology is a steal. Especially since it not only helps to reduce falls, but automatically notifies caregivers by phone if a fall were to occur."

Expanding NASA's Influence in SIlicon Valley

NASA, universities begin talks on research park, Mountain View Voice

"Local universities, lead by UC Santa Cruz, have begun formally discussing the creation of a major new campus at Moffett Field intended to conduct research on space travel. UCSC, Santa Clara University, the Foothill-De Anza College District and Carnegie Melon University have all signed a letter of intent with NASA Ames, with all of them seeking a major presence in the NASA Research Park planned for Moffett."

Today's Video: Robots That Crash Land and Then Fix Themselves

New Scientist Video: "A robot developed by roboticists at the University of Pennsylvania is made of modules that can recognise each other."

South Korean Astronaut Hospitalized for Back Pain

Korea's First Astronaut Hospitalized after Rough Landing, Telecoms Korea

"Korea's first astronaut has been hospitalized due to severe back pains caused by a rough return voyage, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said Tuesday."

SKorea's first astronaut says still feels some pain, AFP

"South Korea's first astronaut Yi So-Yeon returned home Monday, saying she still feels some pain following her unorthodox re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere."

House Ups The Ante on Extra Funds for NASA

Letter from House Members to House Leadership Regarding $2 Billion Additional NASA Funding Request

"We write to urge you to include $2 billion in funding for NASA in either a second economic stimulus package or the supplemental appropriations bill. Investing these much-needed resources in NASA will reimburse the agency for funds spent on return - to - flight expenses following the Columbia disaster and for repairs needed following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. In addition, these funds will help close the gap between the Shuttle and Constellation programs to minimize our dependence on Russia. We believe these funds will provide an immediate and long-term economic stimulus for our nation's economy as well through additional investments in science and aeronautics R&D."

Editor's note: Looking at who signed this letter, one reader asks: "Where's the Florida House delegation?" It would seem that Sen. Nelson has a little more arm twisting to do.

Nelson Urges Voters To Push Space Issue

Sen. Bill Nelson: White House race holds key to future of space program, Orlando Sentinel

"Nelson said that Floridians need to press their case on the presidential candidates, Republican John McCain and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Clinton was the first candidate to outline support for "robust human spaceflight" and is seen as NASA's biggest booster of the three. But there are questions on how committed she is to the Bush administration's plans for exploration to the moon and then Mars."

Getting Creative About NASA's Limitations

NASA: How CoWorking Opened Us Up, PSFK Conference

"In this out-take from PSFK Conference New York, Andrew Hoppin talks about the moment when NASA decided that they needed to open up and collaborate more with their partners and the community in Silicon Valley, they were faced with the challenges of 'home-land' security and red-tape."

India Breaks Launch Record - and Sets Its Sights Higher

India's PSLV Successfully Launches Ten Satellites

"In its thirteenth flight conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, today (April 28, 2008), ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C9, successfully launched the 690 kg Indian remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT-2A, the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) and eight nanosatellites for international customers into a 637 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). PSLV-C9 in its 'core alone' configuration launched ten satellites with a total weight of about 820 kg."

ISRO to send man into space in seven years, India PR Wire

"India will be in a position to carry out a manned space mission within seven years from now, said a top official of the Indian space agency here Monday."

Earth's Smartest Person - Update

NASA's 50th Anniversary Lecture By Professor Stephen Hawking

"Even if we were to increase the international budget 20 times to make a serious effort to go into space, it would only be a small fraction of world GDP. There will be those who argue that it would be better to spend our money solving the problems of this planet, like climate change and pollution, rather than wasting it on a possibly fruitless search for a new planet. I am not denying the importance of fighting climate change and global warming, but we can do that and still spare a quarter of a percent of world GDP for space. Isn't our future worth a quarter of percent?"

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale's Blog: Lecture by Professor Stephen Hawking

Hawking Lectures On Why Humans Should Go Into Space, Wired

Changing Travel Plans

Nepal bans reporting from Everest, BBC

"The Nepalese authorities have imposed a complete communication ban on journalists from the base camp upwards."

News blackout at Everest base camp, BBC

"We knew there were restrictions on satellite phones and video cameras but were now told that even pre-recorded radio material on non-political subjects would not be allowed. Nor would informal chats with the hundreds of mountaineers currently in the camp, the tourism ministry official, Prabodh Dhakal, said. If any mountaineer talked to the BBC, he or she would be expelled, he added."

Editor's 28 April note: Of course, I saw this coming too - it was inevitable.

Editor's 22 April note: To clarify a bit on my Everest trip since many of you have asked: less than 2 weeks from departure, after I had paid, my 25 day stay at Everest Base Camp was suddenly cut by the climbing guide company to 10 days (with no explanation) while the cost of getting there was more or less identical. I was given no basic information as to what electronic items I could/could not bring with me. I cancelled my trip with great reluctance (an understatement) due to lack of confidence in what I could expect once I arrived.

Editor's 4 April note: I will not be travelling to Everest Base Camp as I had planned. I cancelled the trip today. Long story - suffice it to say that there are significant logistics uncertainties that have arisen in the past week or so that persist and make the value of being there to observe and record somewhat limited.

Bulldozers On The Moon

Click on image to enlarge

Cat shoots for the moon - Company teams with NASA to build habitats, roads on lunar surface, Journal Star

"Caterpillar and NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - are getting closer to having the right earthmoving - er, moonmoving - equipment available to put on the moon in less than a decade to build habitats, roads and other infrastructure that could sustain life on the lunar surface. "We're pretty far along. I would say our partnership with Caterpillar is right on schedule," said Lucien Junkin, NASA's chief engineer of the Chariot project the two have been working on since 2006."

Editor's note: This is all very cool, but I can't seem to find the agreement or solicitation whereby this "partnership" between NASA and Caterpillar was put in place. Of course, it is certainly quite logicial for NASA to work with companies who already engage in many of the activities that will be performed on the moon. I am wondering why NASA has not made more public mention of this agreement and the interesting work it facilitates.

Video, Caterpillar (link is sometimes not functioning)

Editor's update: I have now learned that this partnership is the result of one of the NASA Innovative Partnership Program’s (IPP) FY 07 Seed Fund awards.

Just What JSC PAO Needs - An Overt Bush Politico - Update

Editor's note: In March NASA Watch reported that Ellen Engelman Conners had been selected as the new Director of External Relations at JSC replacing Eileen Halwey. Conners is a consumate Bush loyalist and overt politico. Well, nothing seems to have happened since then. She does not appear in the JSC X.500 directory and she does not seem to be on the job. She is also still listed as Senior Deputy Bureau Chief at the FCC in Washington, DC. Maybe someone changed their mind.

Just What JSC PAO Needs - An Overt Bush Politico, earlier post

HSPD-12 Update

NASA JPL HSPD-12 Media Advisory: Court Denies Government Petition for Injunction Review

"On Friday April 25, 2008 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to review its earlier decision issuing a temporary injunction preventing NASA and the California Institute of Technology from conducting intrusive personal background investigations of employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. The government had petitioned all of the judges of the Ninth Circuit Court for a review of a January 11, 2008 ruling by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit that issued a temporary injunction stopping the investigations until a full trial is held in federal district court."

Yet Another Analog for Planetary Exploration

Editor's note: The 10 meter sailing vessel Berrimilla completed a circumnavigation of the world via Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, (http://www.berrimilla.com) during which her crew, Alex Whitworth and Pete Crozier, linked up with the crew of the International Space Station.

As a result of this contact, Alex and Pete were invited by Leroy Chiao, who was the Commander of the ISS during their contacts, and Keith Cowing to give a presentation about Berrimilla's voyage to a Risk and Exploration Symposium at Louisiana State University (co-chaired by Leroy and Keith), using the voyage as a simple analog for a journey into deep space.

After the Symposium, in a bar on the edge of LSU Campus, Pascal Lee drew a map in Alex's notebook. This became an invitation to undertake another, rather more symbolic voyage through the North West Passage to link up with the Haughton-Mars Project on Devon Island in time to observe the total solar eclipse on 1 August 2008.

Editor's update: Leroy and I are a bit concerned about our friend Alex. Read the following words and imagine, instead of worrying about reaching Dutch Harbor, Alaska, that he is talking about Mars and the problems he and his crew mates are having getting back to base in a dust storm with a broken rover. Talk of remaining electrical power evokes Apollo 13 issues. All previous updates are online here.

Berrimilla Down Under Mars Status Report 27 April 2008

"We have a smidge over 4000 miles to Dutch. The next 700 or so of that is potentially windless. We may or may not have an engine. We have about 300 litres of diesel and 5 litres of oil. We need about 3.5 amps to run the computer and instruments. The airgen can carry that - mostly - when we have wind.

Really skinny but manageable as long as the engine lasts. If the engine really has the dickies, then it's a long sail with very limited comms and whatever the airgen will give us to run the systems. Water will definitely be a problem."

Send a message to the crew of Berrimilla - post in their "Gustbook"

Educational Opportunities with SEDS

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) Seeks Interns

"The organisation Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is seeking interns to work on a variety of interesting topics. You will be based close to Madrid, Spain. If you are interested to help out from your home via the Internet, that is possible and appreciated too!"

What Will Future NASA Astronauts be "Flying"?

Navy Limits Nominations to Space Program, NY Times

"For what may be the first time since the inception of the American space program, the Navy is restricting nominations to the astronaut corps. The move comes nearly 50 years after Alan B. Shepard, a naval aviator, became the first American in space. The cutback, Navy officials say, comes as the service tries to retain the expertise it needs to fulfill its wartime obligations while experiencing an overall decline in its numbers."

Editor's note: This is, of course, rather shortsighted from a national space exploration perspective - to say nothing of walking away from a proud naval aviator/astronaut tradition. Yet the Navy is using these pilots for what they are trained for - now.

With the large number of astronauts already on the NASA payroll, the dwindling number of seats aboard shuttle missions, and the delay of the first Orion launches into 2016 (at the earliest) - spacecraft which are not "flown" like a shuttle, and the earliest lunar landings in the post-2020 period, why is it that NASA is going to be needing to recruit large numbers of new "aviator" astronauts in the first place?

Today's Video: CNN on Space and the Candidates

Candidates and the space race (Video), CNN

"What do the candidates say? John McCain speaks favorably for continuing the current course for space exploration, but he also wants to control spending, and that could further disrupt funding. Hillary Clinton has ambitious plans including quote: "Robust human space flight." Her emphasis appears to be on astronauts looking back, studying our own planet to combat global warming. And Barack Obama has suggested that while work in space is important and should continue, it's no longer inspirational, and NASA needs to reconsider its goals. Unlike President John Kennedy who launched the moon missions, not one of them is saying much about returning to the moon, and they rarely mention Mars."

New Ways Of Building Satellites

NASA Ames Partners with m2mi for Small Satellite Development

"Under the terms of a cooperative research and development agreement, only the third in NASA's history, NASA Ames and m2mi will work together to develop very small satellites, called nanosats, for the commercialization of space."

Self-healing computers for NASA spacecraft, ZD Net

"As you can guess, hardwired computer systems are much faster than general-purpose ones because they are designed to do a single task. But when they fail, they need to be totally reconfigured. This can be just a costly problem in a lab on Earth, but it can be vital in space. This is why a University of Arizona (UA) team is working with NASA to design self-healing computer systems for spacecraft."

Defenders Can Also Be Explorers

Afghanistan Heroes Offer to Colonize Moon, Mars and Beyond, LiveScience

"... on Wednesday I received an e-mail from SFC William H. Ruth of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division stationed somewhere in Afghanistan. Sgt. Ruth wrote in response to SPACE.com Senior Editor Tariq Malik’s story Monday about Prof. Stephen Hawking’s belief in extraterrestrial life and he has a suggestion for NASA"

To Boldly Go Where No Intern Has Gone Before

NASA Intern Hoping To Go On Space Walk Before He Leaves In June, Onion'

"Hodson, whose resumé did not list any formal flight training or an academic background in engineering, mathematics, biological science, or physics, said he was positive that before the next launch, NASA officials would notice he had refilled all the staplers. And although Hodson falls below the specific standards of the NASA space physical for vision and blood pressure, as well as not meeting fitness, stamina, and strength prerequisites, the 20-year-old did meet the height requirement."

Gen Y's plans to Reform NASA - SMC Pitch

Next Gen Presentation NASA Strategic Management Council 15 April 2008

"We're asking to create an environment where all NASA employees can leverage their strengths to push the limits of science and space exploration by:

- Providing the current NASA workforce with infusion of fresh ideas, methodologies and technologies.
- Providing the Next Gen NASA workforce the programs and experience today that it needs to be the leaders in the future.
- Enabling enhanced communication and collaboration between NASA centers.
- Getting more young people in the door."

National Academies Reports Coming Out Soon

The following reports are tentatively scheduled for release during May:

Assesses potential space and earth science mission concepts that could take advantage of the capabilities of the Constellation system of launch vehicles and spacecraft being developed by NASA.

Clinton Seeks to Save Arecibo

Clinton turns attention to observatory in Puerto Rico, Orlando Sentinel

"In a release issued by her Senate office, Clinton highlighted that Cornell University is a New York institution. She stressed the "historic relationship" between that state and Puerto Rico. "Cornell University scientists have used the remarkable tools available at Arecibo Observatory to greatly expand our understanding of the universe," Clinton said in the release. "I am proud to support the path-blazing accomplishments of these New Yorkers."

Clinton Introduces Legislation to Support Cornell's Innovative Observatory in Puerto Rico

ISS Hearings Focus On Science and Assembly

House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Examines the Status of the International Space Station

"Although NASA talks about providing research opportunities on the ISS, we cannot forget that the funding cuts NASA has made to its microgravity research programs in recent years--whether willingly or not--have largely decimated that research community," stated Udall. "I think the onus has to be on NASA to prove that it means what it says by taking meaningful steps both to make the ISS a productive venue for research and to start to rebuild that research community. Yet, it won't be possible to have a productive ISS unless the facility can be sustained after the Shuttle is retired."

Construction of ISS Progressing, Subcommitee Explores Research Capabilities

Hearing Charter

Statement by Cristina Chaplain
Statement by William Gerstenmaier
Statement by Cheryl Nickerson
Statement by Jeffrey Sutton
Statement by Louis Stodieck
Statement by Edward Knipling
Statement by Thomas B. Pickens, III

A Trip Around The Moon for $100 million

$100m moon mission to be ultimate holiday adventure, Business 24/7

"A 10-minute suborbital flight into space seems so last season. Now, for a cool $100 million (Dh367m) you can go to the moon. Space Adventures is offering a two-week vacation to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) and in the future, even a six-day extension for a trip around the moon should you fancy."

NASA's Glenn Closed due to Water Main Break

"CLEVELAND - NASA's Glenn Research Center has experienced a water main break, and for the safety of all employees, the center has been closed for the remainder of the day. In addition, Glenn's Visitor Center will be closed today and through the weekend."

Curious Ares Staff Changes at MSFC

Editor's 25 Apr update: According to June Malone MSFC PAO: "Good morning. Regarding your questions/comments to the Ares Projects Office I can offer the following:

- As far as any allegations of procurement irregularities regarding this matter, those allegations are false. There are no known procurement irregularity issues relative to Ares. A number of contract awards have been made over the last year regarding the Ares project and we are aware of no irregularities or concerns involving those contracts."

Earlier posts below.

Editor's 23 Apr note: According to MSFC sources, an ESMD Ares launch systems deputy (JP10) has been relieved of their position at MSFC for "procurement irregularities". Several other employees have also been relieved of their positions for the same reason. Stay Tuned.

Editor's 24 Apr update: Teresa VanHooser, Steve Cook's Deputy in the Ares Project Office called a meeting at 3:30 pm today with JP10 employees to address the NASA Watch posting. She told employees that there was no truth to the posting. When a specific employee's name (who has not been at work for a while) was mentioned she did not have a response. I have an inquiry in to VanHooser and Cook. Let's see how (if) they reply.

I stand by my posting.

Rumors of Ares troubles denied, Huntsville Times.

"A report published on the space agency watchdog Internet site NASAWatch.com claim that several management changes were made, employees were fired and that the Ares contracts faced "procurement irregularities."

Editor's 25 Apr update: Steve Cook knows a lot more about this than he seems to be willing to discuss. He has been offered a chance to respond and has yet to do so.

I stand by my post.

IFPTE Endorses Obama

IFPTE Endorses Senator Barack Obama for President

"The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers' (IFPTE), an AFL-CIO affiliated labor union whose public, private and federal sector membership includes engineers, scientists and technicians at the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA and Boeing, has given their backing to Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. The IFPTE Executive Council voted without opposition late yesterday to endorse the Illinois Senator."

Obama's response: " ... I'll fight for organized labor by protecting the right to organize. I'll support vigorous reinvestment in our federal research and development agencies, including NASA, to maintain America's leadership in Science and Technology and to foster economic competitiveness."

NASA MMO Role Playing Game Update

NASA Wants its MMO Created for Free, Slashdot

"It seems that the educational MMORPG NASA's proposing will no longer have a budget of $3 million. Instead, any prospective development partner is being asked to create and maintain the MMORPG for free under a 'non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement'. It won't be a one-sided agreement, though. From NASA's RFP: 'In exchange for a collaborator's investment to create and manage a NASA-based MMO game for fun and to enhance STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], NASA will consider negotiating brand placement, limited exclusivity and other opportunities."

NASA Asking For Free MMO? Hardly. Game Cyte

"When several prominent sources reported that NASA had lost funding for its upcoming educational MMO yet continued to seek game developers willing to work for free, we became curious. Why would NASA shoot themselves in the foot, yet continue to hobble along as if it never happened? But we soon found out the entire story lacked merit."

Budget Slashed On NASA's Educational MMO, Wired

"Like much of the space program, NASA Learning Technologies (an education-focused subset of the space agency) is facing budget cuts that leave the future of the group's previously revealed educational online game in question."

NASA Solicitation: Partner With NASA on the Development of a MMO Game to Support STEM Learning

NASA Offers Educational Online Gaming Opportunity to Developers

When Apollo On Steroids Just Isn't Enough

Establishing the Vision for Space Exploration, Dennis Wingo, SpaceRef

"To those of us who have committed our lives to the proposition that the exploration and development of space as the means by which we can build a prosperous global civilization that will last far beyond our current limits to growth, recent events have a familiar and depressing feel. There is a principle in the entrepreneurial world that if you present a business plan to an investor that does not meet their criterion for funding, you dont get funded. The same principle applies to government spending with the congress, executive branch and the people fulfilling the role of the investor."

NASA Under Obama?

Obama's Plan for NASA, American Thinker

"As the legend goes, when the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez landed in what is now Mexico in 1519, he ordered the boats that brought him and his men there to be burned.  Obama seems to have something similar planned for NASA."

Voters Approve Spaceport Tax

Sierra County voters embrace spaceport tax, Las Cruces Sun-News

"Sierra County voters on Tuesday turned out in record numbers to give Spaceport America officials the funding and the taxation district the state needs to build the facility. With all precincts reporting, 65 percent of voters approved of the 1/4 of 1 percent gross receipts tax increase."

Post Landing Audio Interview With Peggy Whitson Released

Audio file

Editor's note: According to NASA HQ Public Affairs: "this is an audio file of Peggy Whitson's interview with NASA Public Affairs Officer Rob Navias recorded soon after her landing aboard the Soyuz on Saturday. During the interview, Whitson states that some rescuers were there because of a fire. For clarification, the Soyuz capsule landed near an area where Kazak farmers were burning grass off the steppes. The fire was not related to the Soyuz landing."

Despite multiple questions from the media as to what was reported by the crew and others about the Soyuz reentry, no mention was made by NASA personnel of this JSC PAO interview during a media telecon earlier today. Subsequently, NASA HQ PAO promptly released the original JSC audio after multiple media requests were submitted for this audio.

NASA not worried about Soyuz space capsule's bumpy ride home, AP

"Saturday's bone-jarring landing happened after the capsule went into an unplanned ballistic re-entry. The Russians thought they had solved the descent problem after it cropped up last October and NASA agreed with their original analysis that a frayed wire was to blame, Gerstenmaier said."

- NASA Official Plays Down a Troubled Soyuz Landing, NY Times
- Soyuz spacecraft safe despite botched landing: NASA, Reuters
- A Scary Return to Earth, Washington Post
- Did a short circuit cause spacecraft's steep descent?, New Scientist

Another Big Step Forward for SpaceX

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX

"NASA has awarded Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, a NASA Launch Services contract for the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles. The NASA Launch Services contracts are multiple awards to multiple launch service providers. Twice per year, there is an opportunity for existing and emerging domestic launch service providers to submit proposals if their vehicles meet the minimum contract requirements."

Just How Dangerous Was That Soyuz Reentry?

NASA Offers Only Minor Insight Into Soyuz Off Course Landing, SpaceRef

"Gerstenmaier was rather reluctant to get into any specifics preferring instead to defer, and to "let the Russians get the spacecraft back, dump the data from its computers, and allow the commission that has been established to look at what happened". He would repeat this caveat more than a dozen times during the press teleconference."

Space crew's hard landing raises hard questions, MSNBC

"How on earth did the Russians lose track of the descending spacecraft? Why did alarming details of the landing -- including the ignition of a brush fire that set the collapsed parachute ablaze and filled the landed spacecraft with smoke -- take so long to reach the public?"

Report: Soyuz capsule nearly burned up, AP

"A Russian news agency says the crew of the Soyuz capsule that landed in Kazakhstan this weekend after an unexpectedly severe descent was in serious danger. Interfax quotes an unnamed space official as saying that the capsule entered the atmosphere improperly, with the hatch first, instead of with heat shields leading the way. The official says the hatch suffered significant damage. The official also says the capsule's antenna burned up during the descent, meaning the crew could not communicate properly."

Spacecraft's Shaky Descent Under Scrutiny, CBS

"The capsule apparently entered the discernible atmosphere in an unusual orientation and was subjected to relatively violent buffeting until the attached section finally broke away, as planned in such scenarios, allowing the descent module to settle into a normal heat- shield-down orientation. The failure of the lower propulsion module to cleanly separate is believed to have forced the craft into a steep, so-called ballistic re-entry."

Is Sen. Domenici Preparing Legacy Pork For The Folks Back Home?

Editor's note: Word has it that a $400 million earmark for a climate research center is being prepared on behalf of Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) who is retiring. Think of this as legacy pork.

This climate change research center would not run be run by NASA or NOAA or EPA. Nor will there be any competitive bidding. Instead it would be run through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) which runs Los Alamos National Laboratory located in Domenici's home state of New Mexico.

With all the arm waving and complaints about NASA not doing enough on the issue of climate change you'd think that this effort would go to NASA or if not NASA, then to NOAA. That is, if climate change research was really the prime overarching intent of this proposed allocation.

One mechanism whereby this pork might begin to work its way into the funding que is via the Supplemental Intelligence Authorization Bill which is due for mark-up this week. If this does not work then other approaches are under consideration. Scott O'Malia, a minority staffer on the Senate Appropriations Committee is reportedly taking the lead on pushing this legacy pork through.

Sen. Domenici serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is chairman of that committee. Domenici is also Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. Talk about a one-two punch.

Apparently other members of the Senate and key House appropriators only learned of this activity in the past few days.

The National Nuclear Security Administration and the Supplemental Intelligence Authorization Bill are such logical places to put climate change funding, right?

Happy EarthPork Day.

Just Send Rubles

Russia will not need space tourism when space program well financed -analysts, Interfax

"There are plans to manufacture four Soyuz spacecraft in 2009 to launch crews to the ISS," [Vitaly Lopota, the president of the Energia space rocket corporation] said. If the Russian space program was financed in full, Russia would not need to make money on space tourism, Krasnov said. "If we lack money, we will have to launch space tourists," he said."

Russia looks at all options to invest its oil billions abroad, Times Online

"Russia could soon follow the Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and invest billions of dollars in direct overseas investments if, as expected, its national welfare fund is given more freedom to invest."

Editor's note: Interesting how the govenrment-owned Energia is now using a quasi-state controlled news outlet to lobby for increased government funding for Russia's space program. One upon a time Russia's space program was so broke the only way to could continue was with outside financial help - from the U.S. and selling seats on Soyuz flights. Now, I guess, those Russian petro-Rubles are easier to find. Too bad. In retrospect, the commercial space traveler program has given the ISS a more cosmopolitan face since its inception and has injected some actual commercialism into the otherwise (multi) government-controlled ISS.

The Smartest Person Alive Speaks About Space Exploration

Stephen Hawking calls for Moon and Mars colonies

"Stephen Hawking called for a massive investment in establishing colonies on the Moon and Mars in a lecture in honour of NASA's 50th anniversary. He argued that the world should devote about 10 times as much as NASA's current budget - or 0.25% of the world's financial resources - to space."

Stupid Movie Alert

Astute reader observation: "Well, Keith, at least now when I see a rerun of the old Space: 1999 TV show, I'll know that more than 24E18 GJ of energy was required to send Moonbase Alpha off into deep space! LOL You have many talented readers."

David James Elliott to lead 'Impact', Hollywood Reporter

"Impact" chronicles the aftermath of a meteor shower during which a piece of a dwarf star lodges itself in the moon. That triggers a series of anomalies on Earth, including cell phone service interruption, exaggerated tides and the occurrence of sporadic weightlessness. Astrophysicist Alex Kinter (Elliott), with a help of a female astronomer, discover that the moon has been dislodged from its orbit and is on a collision course with Earth."

reader math note: "For what its worth ..... Just a quick note on your stupid movie alert: The minimum delta-V required to put the moon  on a collision course with earth is about 4 km/sec. Assuming a lunar mass of 7.348300E+22 kg the kinetic energy equivalent is about 6x 10^14 giga joules. This equates to roughly 1.42 million 100-megaton Fusion warheads exploding simultaneously - and they won't have long to wait for collision .. about 4 1/2 days."

Another reader math note: Noticed that the kinetic energy calculations needed to cause a moon-Eartn collision were a bit off. If a delta V change of 4km/sec is needed then the kinetic energy required is 6 x 10^17 trillion Joules (1/2*m*v^2). The number of 100 Megaton weapons required to release this energy is 1.24 trillion.

And yet another reader math note: "For what it's worth I think the first calc is right 1/2mv^2 = 8*7.34E22 joules = 6E23 joules = 6E14 Gjoules ... no? Don't know how many nukes that is but "a lot" would be a reasonable number ..."

And yet still another reader math note: WRT Stupid Movie Alert, some correct physics: Lunar mass is 73.5E21 kg; required deceleration impulse is--on average--809.3 m/s; kinetic energy exchange is thus 24E18 GJ, the equivalent of 57.5E6 100 MT bombs, "a lot."

The reader math notes keep coming : Here are the kinetic energy calculations: KE = 1/2 m*v^2, KE = 1/2 * 7.35E22 Kg * 4000 m/s * 4000 m/s, KE = 5.9E29 Kg*m^2/s^2, 1 Joule = 1 Kg*m^2/s^2, KE = 5.9E29 Joules

more reader math: Lunar mass is 73.5E21 kg; required deceleration impulse is--on average--809.3 m/s; kinetic energy exchange is thus 24E18 GJ, the equivalent of 57.5E9 100 MT bombs, "a lot more than before."

The 70 Mile High Club

Branson to be the first man to marry a couple in space, Daily Mail

"Virgin Galactic boss Sir Richard Branson is planning to set yet another record - by becoming the first man to marry a couple in space. The 58-year-old billionaire intends to conduct a ceremony 70 miles above the Earth on the first Galactic sub-orbital flight next year."

Anatoly Perminov: Superstitious Throwback or Just Sexist?

Russian space capsule misses landing by, AP

"Later, [Federal Space Agency chief Anatoly] Perminov was asked about the presence of two women on the Soyuz, and referred to a naval superstition that having women aboard a ship was bad luck. "You know in Russia, there are certain bad omens about this sort of thing, but thank God that everything worked out successfully," he said. "Of course in the future, we will work somehow to ensure that the number of women will not surpass" the number of men. Challenged by a reporter, Perminov responded: "This isn't discrimination. I'm just saying that when a majority (of the crew) is female, sometimes certain kinds of unsanctioned behaviour or something else occurs, that's what I'm talking about."

Editor's note: In the U.S. such a comment about would result in an adverse job action - at a minimum. This is more than bad translation: Perminov stepped in this three times. One of the women mentioned is a NASA civil servant. Will NASA respond? We'll see.

Rough landing, Free Space/Discovery News

"Whitson surely could have done without the crash landing of the Soyuz capsule which because of a technical glitch dove through the atmosphere much steeper than planned, subjecting the crew to 10 times the force of Earth’s gravity -- nearly triple the usual force. But what was really unnecessary were the off-color comments of yet another Russian official regarding women in space. Whitson, you may remember, was given a going-away gift by her Russian hosts of a whip."

NASA Advisory Council: Lack of Transparency and Needless Delays

Editor's note: There has been a disappointing development in how the NASA Advisory Council posts things on its website. Although they were not the fastest organization at NASA (often taking months simply to post documents that were already completed), they did eventually manage to post the presentations.

Well, now it would seem, presentations made at these meetings (which are open to the public) can only be obtained by asking Paul Iademarco, the NAC Executive Director (see Feb 2008, Oct 2007 July 2007 etc.).

So much for openness at NASA.

Friday afternoon I asked Iademarco for a copy of a Gen Y perspectives presentation that was made at the NAC meeting yesterday. He told me by email "I will post the presentations when the minutes are completed. It usually takes about 3-4 weeks on average. However we always strive to get everything posted sooner."

Oh yes, have a look at the minutes that have to be prepared - October 2007 for example. This short document takes 3-4 weeks to prepare? Moreover, it has been 11 weeks since the 7 Feb meeting and the minutes/recommendations for that meeting are not even posted yet. Gee, why bother - its all stale by now.

Anyone attending this meeting could have gotten a hardcopy of the presentation or taken pictures of it on the screen. The Gen Y folks certainly have a valid point to make when they suggest that things could be done much more efficiently and effectively at NASA if only NASA personnel took the time to learn how to use the tools at hand - and if they truly wanted their part of the agency's activities to be responsive and transparent.

Ironically it seems that the very place where NASA gets this sort of advice is one of the places most in need of applying this advice.

Rough Reentry for Expedition 16 Crew

Station crew OK after Soyuz capsule lands short of target, SpaceflightNow

"At a Russian news conference, Russian officials said the crew was in good health after a "controlled, ballistic decent. The crew feels great, all of them. ... The reasons for the ballistic descent will be investigated after the descent module will be delivered to the Energia Corporation."

Update From Everest Base Camp

Scott Parazynski Everest Update: 19 April 2008 - Heading for Camp 1

"19 April 2008 4:00 am EST. Update by Keith Cowing. I just got a satellite phone call from Scott Parazynski at Everest base Camp. He was expecting to leave a voice mail when I picked up the phone. We had a short chat during which he updated me on his stay. Scott and his team have been at Everest Base Camp at an elevation of 5,380 meters (17,700 ft) on the south side of Mt. Everest in Nepal for a week now."

Inspired by a Conference to Explore

Editor's note: The 10 meter sailing vessel Berrimilla recently completed a circumnavigation of the world via Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, (http://www.berrimilla.com ) during which her crew, Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier, linked up with the crew of the International Space Station. A number of interesting physical, psychological and planning similarities were apparent.

As a result of this contact, Alex and Peter were invited by Leroy Chiao, who was the Commander of the ISS during their contacts to give a presentation about Berrimilla's voyage to a Risk and Exploration Symposium at Louisiana State University (co-chaired by Leroy and Keith Cowing), using the voyage as a simple analogue for a journey into deep space.

After the Symposium, in a bar on the edge of LSU Campus, Pascal Lee drew a map in Alex's notebook and, perhaps foolishly, signed it.

This became an invitation to undertake another, rather more symbolic voyage through the North West Passage to link up with NASA's Haughton-Mars Project on Devon Island, which Pascal runs, in time to observe the total solar eclipse on August 1 2008.

Berrimilla Down Under Mars Status Report 18 April 2008

Listen up - Alex Right you lot - listen up and you can shout at me later. Some rather crudely potted philosophy - don't know whether I can get this into words that I like but it seems worth a go. I think I'm speaking for McQ here too, but she's asleep so can't ask her.

Lots of people have asked me why we do this. Are we mad, foolhardy, plain self indulgent or what are we trying to prove?? Lots and lots more people - more than I could count, if I ever cared - have said to me and Pete that they found the last one truly inspirational, fascinating, life changing - all that really good stuff, and they meant it.

POSTED BY BERRIMILLA DOWNUNDERMARS AT 09:04

Business Sponsorship Needed

Maine Students Seek Business Sponsorship For NASA Zero-Gravity Flight

"Preparing to conduct science experiments while floating weightless in an airplane has been no easy task for the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine team chosen to participate this summer in NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. Now, the biggest challenge left to the 10-member team known as Dirigo, the first ever from Maine, is to raise the money necessary by late June to get them and their experiment off the ground."

NM Spaceport Vote Ahead

Votes may equal ride to space for Sierra County residents, Las Cruces Sun-News

"Sierra County residents are being promised the stars if they support a spaceport tax, according to this morning's Albuquerque Journal. As election promises go, it's a little more grand than a chicken in every pot. In fact, it's out of this world, the Journal noted of Tuesday's get-out-the-vote meeting at the Hot Springs High School."

Spaceport Opponents Complain Of Heavy-Handed Tactics

"Opponents of a proposed quarter-cent tax to fund New Mexico's spaceport allege state Transportation Department workers took down their campaign signs. A woman who is organizing a Saturday protest against the tax, April Schmidlapp, said state workers ordered tax opponents to remove their signs along the town's main street."

Skunkworks Lite

Spaceport launch tests future spacecraft, KRQE.com

"Lockheed Martin Corporation is now using the spaceport to advance some of its less-publicized technology. This prototype of Lockheed Martin's new spacecraft is only one-fifth the size the future vehicle would be."

Who's Worse For NASA: Democrats or Republicans?

Editor's note: According to page 8 of the April 2008 Aviation Week ShowNews Briefing, AIA Space Systems VP J.P. Stevens says "It will be a battle if there is a Democratic administration".

Let's look at this a little more closely. Yes, Sen. Obama (D-IL) has indeed talked of drastic and unwarranted cuts to Project Constellation - and has said rather negative things about human spaceflight. But that's about the only specificity we've heard from him. By stark contrast, Sen. Clinton (D-NY) seems to be outright supportive of NASA.

Yet it is Sen. McCain (R-AZ) who has proposed a freeze on discretionary spending (which includes NASA's budget) which would amount to a cut (or non-growth) at a time when a number of NASA projects are depending upon budget increases.

And this would be set against a backdrop whereby the Bush Administration won't lift a finger to prepare a budget for FY 2010 - leaving the incoming Administration to scramble to cobble one together between November 2008 and January 2009. This comes after the Bush administration walked away from the earlier financial commitments it had made for the implementation of the VSE.

If anything, in 2008, with the politics in play - and the history of the past few years before us, the Republicans seem more intent upon depriving NASA of needed budget funds - and have a proven track record of doing so.

Then again, only time will tell what will actually happen.

No More Progress Purchases

NASA Wants All-commercial ISS Resupply

"NASA will not ask Congress for permission to continue buying cargo space on Russian Progress resupply vehicles for the International Space Station (ISS) after 2011, opting instead for an all-commercial approach under its nascent Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Administrator Michael Griffin has sent a letter to Capitol Hill specifically excluding Progress from a request to continue using Russian Soyuz capsules to deliver crew to the ISS after the shuttle retires in 2010. Griffin had no immediate comment, but William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for space operations, said April 16 that NASA believes one of the commercial vehicles in development under the COTS program will be able to meet its ISS-supply needs."

NRC Interim Report on ESMD

Review of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program: An Interim Report

"On October 10-11, 2007, the committee held a general data-gathering meeting at which representatives from NASA headquarters briefed the members on the ETDP. The meeting was followed by site visits from subsets of the full committee to three NASA centers for detailed presentations on each of the 22 individual program projects. The results of the committee's study as of December 2007 are described in the present interim report. The committee's final report, described below, is planned for release in the summer of 2008."

Why Are The Candidates Afraid To Talk About Science?

We Need a Science White House, opinion, Wall Street Journal

"Tomorrow Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain should have been going toe-to-toe in a televised science debate. All three were invited by a bipartisan group of Nobel laureates and other scholars called ScienceDebate 2008 to step on stage at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and explain how they will ensure that America continues to dominate the sciences. Leading in scientific research and advancement is an essential element to our future prosperity, health and national defense. All three candidates declined. Apparently the top contenders for our nation's highest elective office have better things to do than explain to the public their views on securing America's future."

Getting Cheaper iPods for NASA

Commentary: NASA's new tenets for doing business, Federal Times

"As the new assistant administrator for procurement, I have tried to take a fresh look at NASA's procurement practice based on data from our current contracts. As a result of this assessment, I developed some principles for procurement that, if implemented, could improve our return on investment. These principles have become NASA's procurement tenets, nine guidelines that describe a new way of doing business:"

Governmentwide Purchase Cards: Actions Needed to Strengthen Internal Controls to Reduce Fraudulent, Improper, and Abusive Purchases. GAO-08-333, March 14.

Page 8: "At the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a cardholder used the government purchase card to acquire two 60GB iPods. Although NASA officials maintained that the iPods were essential for official data storage, we found that the cardholder personalized the iPods with the requester's and agency's names and used the iPods to store songs and music videos. Although the iPods had some business files on them, we concluded that the purchase was abusive because other data storage devices without video and audio capabilities were available at lower costs."

Update From Axel Heiberg

McGill High Arctic Research Station (MARS) Status Report - Dale Andersen: 16 April 2008

"Here are a few more pictures and words for you regarding the CSA/McGill University Satellite system here at the CSA camp at Expedition Fiord on Axel Heiberg. Note that some engineering support was provided by NASA Ames - NASA Research and Engineering Network (NREN) engineer Ray Gilstrap. You can see him assembling one of the point to point wireless repeater bases we used."

When Smart People Make Dumb Suggestions

Demand for Europe space rethink, BBC

"Despite [Lord Martin Rees] views, though, Europe is pursuing a vigorous human spaceflight policy and has so far spent 5bn euros ($8bn; £4bn) on the space station. Just last week, Esa unveiled a campaign to recruit the European astronauts of tomorrow. Britain has also hinted at a change in its long-standing opposition to human space activities following several high-profile reports. One, a specially convened government advisory panel, suggested the UK's policy has damaged the country both scientifically and economically."

Editor's note: It would seem that Lord Martin is in a distinct minority in regard to his anti-human spaceflight stance. Besides, we all know what Dr. Who would say - and he is much more in tune with reality.