Bolden/Garver Confirmation Update

Keith's 23 June note: From what I have been able to piece together, there is interest in Congress to get to to confirmation hearings for Charlie Bolden and Lori Garver right after the 4th of July (7 and 8 July are dates in play) with the intent that there will be a confirmation vote before the Apollo 11 anniversary. Stay tuned.

Keith's 30 June note: The Senate confirmation hearing will be held on 8 July.

What Would Wernher Do?

NASA Solicitation: Request for Information Regarding The Weekly Notes of Dr. Wernher Von Braun

"The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a full collection of Dr. Wernher von Braun's "Weekly Notes," written during the 1960s and 1970s. Dr. Von Braun was the first director of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and is considered a key figure in the development of the Saturn V rocket and NASA's Apollo program. These notes were used to track programmatic and institutional issues at MSFC, and are considered by many historians to be a valuable source of historical data."

Keith's note: Have a look at this example: imagine if there was a NASA Watch back then .... not much seems to have changed in the HQ/field center relationship.

Sample document below

Frank's note: I'd suggest readers who are still outraged over Von Braun's Nazi past point their fingers instead at Uncle Sam. The federal government surely knew all about WVB's political activities and did their best to cover it all up while he was of use to the U.S. Army-and then NASA's-rocket development programs. It is true he was a flawed giant-so was Kennedy-but his engineering and management talents made a lunar landing in the 1960s possible. If we accept the good that people do we must also acept their human frailties and ethical lapses, for the two are inseparable. He and only he alone is answerable for the slave labor atrocities and other crimes to which he looked the other way. Celebrating his genius does not ignore his other failings, for all of us in one degree or another are human.

A Confused Story and Things That Never Happened

President faces a Kennedy decision on space, MSNBC

"President Bush gathered the best minds and experts of the day and told them to get started. "It'll be cheaper to modify an unmanned rocket like the Atlas 5 or Delta 4," said one. "Right," agreed another, but they soon found the Atlas 5 and the Delta 4 didn't have the power. They would have to be beefed up. It was back to the drawing board, and the drawing board kept pointing them back to Apollo, to the kind of system the Russians had been flying successfully for five decades."

Keith's note: Um, when exactly did this meeting happen, Jay? Where? When? Where do I start. You are some confused on some things, dead wrong on others, and you recall things that never actually happened. Get a fact checker next time.

Tune in to Jim Banke's Space Talk

Space Talk Program Set to launch on Air and Online June 20

"Space Talk," a new one-hour radio program dedicated to the topic of America's space program, will begin broadcasting June 20 from the studios of WMMBAM on Florida's Space Coast. The live, weekly program will be hosted by veteran aerospace writer and commentator Jim Banke, owner and president of MILA Solutions, LLC. .. Interactivity will be a key feature of the program, which will be streamed live on the Internet and recorded for download as a Podcast - both available at www.wmmbam.com. Audience members from around the nation will be invited to call in to the program at 321-768-1240, send e-mail to spacetalking@aol.com, or interact via Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/spacetalking."

Augustine Round 1

NASA heads to moon as panel weighs its future, Reuters

"At the meeting, United Launch Alliance, a Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture that markets the unmanned Atlas and Delta rockets, pitched an upgraded version of its rockets to replace NASA's planned Ares booster, an option a NASA-backed study found to be less expensive. But the consultancy that prepared the study cautioned that would only be cheaper if NASA dropped plans for a second Ares rocket, a heavy-lifter that could carry cargo to the moon."

Review Panel Hears Rival Plans for New Spaceflights

"In dueling PowerPoint presentations before the 10-member panel, appointed by the Obama administration in April, NASA officials defended their progress in developing the next generation of rockets, while challengers said that they could do the job more quickly and less expensively."

NASA budget 'too small for return to Moon', AFP

"NASA simply can't do the job it's been given - the President's goal of being on the moon by 2020,'' Mr Nelson told the first public meeting of the Review of US Human Space Flight Plans Committee in Washington."

Review panel hears competing proposals to replace space shuttle, Orlando Sentinel

"Elon Musk, who runs the rocket company SpaceX, suggested NASA turn over more work to private business. SpaceX is under contract to build a rocket that can haul cargo - and could take humans - to the space station. "If commercial companies handle low-Earth orbit then NASA [can] handle the stuff beyond low-Earth orbit" such as the moon and Mars, Musk said."

Augustine Commission To Meet Today

Agenda Released for U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Meeting

"The first public meeting of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 17, at the Carnegie Institute, located at 1530 P Street NW in Washington. The meeting will take place in the auditorium and is open to the public. No pre-registration is required."

Agenda packed for NASA meeting, Huntsville Times

"The committee is headed by aerospace veteran Norman Augustine. It's a lot to cover in one day, said Keith Cowing, who runs the independent Web site NASAWatch.com. "You look at most of these commissions when they are put together, and it is 90 days of this and that in meetings and reviews, and then another two months of formulation," Cowing said Tuesday. "This is indeed a front-loaded review." The report has an August deadline."

@NASA_HSF: "We will be live-tweeting tomorrow's public meeting. Looking forward to interacting with everyone."

Gutting GRC's Visitor Center to Fill Up the Great Lakes Science Center

Make the most of NASA Glenn visitors center, wherever it may land, opinion, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Moving the visitors center would help meet NASA's requirement that Glenn cut $500,000 a year from its public affairs programs and would put information about what's going on at Glenn where people could see it more easily, in a public setting where security isn't the first priority."

Keith's note: Sources report that Sen. Sherrod Brown is the moving force behind closing the visitor's center at GRC and moving its contents to the Great Lakes Science Center - a project he has been working to build up.

Bolden Makes The Rounds

Bolden, Hutchison meet to discuss NASA, AP

"It appears as though the confirmation process for General Charles Bolden as the head of NASA is headed in the right direction. The former astronaut and ABC 13 space consultant was in Washington today to meet with prominent U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison."

Sen. DeMint meets with NASA nominee, Columbia native, WIS

"Wednesday U.S. Senator Jim DeMint met with Columbia native Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. to discuss his recent nomination by President Obama to become NASA Administrator."

Sen. Richard Shelby: Obama pick for top NASA job is capable, Huntsville Times

"I look forward to meeting with him and working with him. The confirmation process will have to take place, and I'm not making any predictions or judgments, but (Bolden) certainly is a capable man and has the qualifications. We'll have to see what the Senate thinks and move from there," Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said shortly after a building dedication at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Bolden and Garver's Qualifications

Nominees for the Space Agency, editorial, NY Times

"Unfortunately, General Bolden lacks deep expertise in space science and engineering and his past ties with the aerospace industry will raise conflict of interest problems."

Blog response to May 28 New York Times Editorial by Coalition Advisory Board Member Fred Gregory, Coalition for Space Exploration

"I was disappointed to see a recent New York Times editorial (May 28, "Nominees for the Space Agency") that questioned President Obama's selection of Charles Bolden, Jr. and Lori Garver as NASA's top leaders. Both Bolden, a former astronaut and retired Marine general, and Garver, a NASA policy specialist, have proven their abilities to lead. The real question is whether they will have the necessary resources to address the tough work of transitioning from the space shuttle to Constellation, the next generation of spaceflight vehicles to the moon and beyond."

Chris Scolese, Dancing Machine

Keith's note: Check out NASA's Space Your Face feature.

Specifically, this video wherein Chris Scolese busts some moves on the lunar surface. It only took me a few seconds to make this.

Who knew he was such a dancing machine?

It May Be Too Late for GRC to Advertise

NASA Solicitation: Purchase of Billboard Advertising Space

"NASA/GRC has a requirement for the purchase of advertising space on billboard #222 located at Rt. 237 n/o Snow Road, Cleveland, OH. The advertising is scheduled to start the week of May 18, 2009 and will remain on display for one (1) year. NASA/GRC intends to purchase this item from Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. 12222 Plaza Dr, Cleveland, OH. This company owns the billboard and any advertising space must be purchased from them."

Group favors moving museum from NASA center to downtown, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Greater Cleveland Partnership's support of the move is important because it has been an ardent backer of NASA Glenn programs. Not enough folks know what goes on at NASA Glenn and its Plum Brook testing facility near Sandusky, Roman said. Bringing the NASA brand and attractions downtown would be a boon to the space agency and the science center, he said."

Keith's note: Hey wait a minute: what ever happened to all of those scary warnings that NASA is not allowed to advertise? Releasing a formal government solicitation notice seeking to purchase advertising on a large billboard would seem to fly in the face of that (supposed) advertising prohibition.

Mars Rover Curiosity Name Doesn't Inpsire Our Readers

Marc's note: In our poll last week on the new name of the Mars Science Laboratory rover we asked "Do you approve of the new name, Curiosity, for the Mars Science Laboratory rover?" 372 NASA Watch readers voted and the majority, 55%, were not in favor of the new name. I think of all the comments we received the one that resonates the most with me if that whatever the name of the rover, let's just hope it lands safely and can do its mission.

NASA exists as a paradox, a quandary, a political dilemma

NASA: Thoughts on New Beginnings, Beth Beck

"With former Astronaut Charlie Bolden poised to take the helm at NASA, and Lori Garver as Deputy, I dusted off a letter of mine published in SpaceNews, January 21, 2002. Much of it still applies. I offer a partial reprint:

Unparalleled in the federal government, NASA's mission is bounded only by the expanses of the heavens and limited only by the human imagination. Our inability to consistently communicate the wonder and magic of space to decision-makers who hold our purse strings stifles our progress. NASA personifies the innate, never-say-die human spirit that conquers barriers and pushes beyond limitations. NASA ignites the spark that flames the human desire to improve, to learn, to grow. NASA embodies the pursuit of knowledge in unexplored regions of the universe, as well as the universe of the mind."

Yes, I'm Back

Keith's note: I got back from Nepal a few days ago. After 6 weeks in the Himalayas, I am deeply tanned from the neck up (and wrists out) and I am 21 pounds lighter. I am still adjusting to the thick atmosphere you folks enjoy at sea level (my lungs are a little clogged right now). I am also readjusting to the concept of walking on flat ground in something other than high end mountaineering boots. Of course, there is also all of the non-Nepali, non-Everest Base Camp cuisine to which I am getting reacquainted ...

As for what the whole experience was like: suffice it to say: it was extraordinary - and life altering. Curiously, as my friend Scott was making his summit bid - his moon walk, if you will - only a few miles away from me, I felt like Mike Collins must have felt during Apollo 11: so very close - yet (still) so far. But I certainly had the best seat in the solar system!

First Human Space Flight Panel Meeting Date Set

NASA Notice (09-045) Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee; Meeting, NASA

"DATES: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.."

Editor's note: We don't have the official list of panel members but we do have the first meeting date set and the meeting will be open to the public.

Catching Up With the OIG

NASA's Management of Ares I Human-Rating Requirements (Report No. IG-09-016; Assignment No. A-09-003-00)

"The Office of Inspector General conducted a review to evaluate the management of the human-rating requirements for the Ares I Project. Specifically, our objectives were to determine whether NASA had adequately developed the human-rating requirements and incorporated them into the program and project plans."

NASA's Processes for Providing Personal Identity Verification Cards Were Not Completely Effective in Meeting Federal Requirements

"As of January 9, 2009, NASA had issued more than 70,000 PIV cards to staff and contractors, more than 98 percent of the PIV cards NASA planned to issue, from a PIV card issuer that had not been accredited because NASA did not fully comply with Federal guidance."

Addendum to Final Memorandum on Audit of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Program Management Effectiveness (Report No. IG-09-013, March 27, 2009)

"We requested additional comments from the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate on two recommendations in the subject final memorandum because management comments were not fully responsive. One recommendation involved fully implementing an Earned Value Management System and the other recommendation was to ensure that contractor cost control performance is explicitly communicated in future evaluations."

STS-127 Shuttle Endeavour Launch Date Could be Pushed Back

Weather Could Delay Endeavour Launch, Aviation Week

"The same Florida weather than forced the space shuttle Atlantis to land in California after its successful mission to the Hubble Space Telescope may also delay launch of the next shuttle mission to the International Space Station."

"The shuttle Endeavour is set to lift off June 13 on STS-127 with the final piece of Japan's Kibo laboratory module, but stormy weather at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) threatens a delay in moving Endeavour from Launch Pad 39B - where it stood ready as a rescue craft during the Hubble mission - to Launch Pad 39A that would delay launch on a day-for-day basis."

Editor's note: The launch could slip as far as mid-July.

NASA Power-Beaming Challenge Date Set

NASA Dryden to Host 2009 Power Beaming Challenge July 14, NASA (With video)

"NASA's Centennial Challenges Program and the Spaceward Foundation will hold the 2009 Power-Beaming Challenge, part of Spaceward's Space Elevator Games, at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on July 14."

"This is the fourth year for the Space Elevator Games. The first competition required teams to ascend a 50-meter tether at an average speed of 1 meter per second with power provided by ordinary spotlights. This year, to be eligible for the $2 million prize, competitors will be required to race their laser-powered vehicles up a 1-kilometer vertical steel cable at an average speed of 5 meters per second."

Editor's note: My sources tell me that there could be winner of this years Power-Beaming Challenge and its $2 million prize. There are 6 entrants in the challenge. The Spaceward Foundation who manage the challenge have also launched a new web site at http://www.spaceelevatorgames.org/. SpaceRef will have full coverage at our Space Elevator Reference web site.

NASA, Microsoft Collaboration - Open or Closed Source?

NASA embraces Microsoft format -- but adds an open-source twist, TechFlash

"That technological balancing act is among the details revealed in a federal Space Act Agreement establishing the terms of a collaboration announced by NASA and Microsoft earlier this year. The text of the agreement wasn't disclosed at the time, but NASA has now released the documents in response to a request made by TechFlash under the federal Freedom of Information Act."

"The text will get a close look, at least, from people worried about governments tethering themselves too tightly to Microsoft's technologies. The agreement is non-exclusive, leaving the door open for NASA to make similar conversions to formats used by alternative space-viewing programs. But data formats have historically been a source of conflict between Microsoft and open-source advocates concerned about government agencies leaning too heavily on proprietary approaches, making them de facto standards."

Editor's note: Unfortunately Microsoft is not known as being a friendly open source kinda of company. There's some strange things going here. Not on NASA's part, but Microsoft. The annex of the agreement says NASA will release the software tools developed under the agreement. The article says however that Microsoft described the software as proprietary. That text has now disappeared from the Microsoft page in question. As well the WorldWide Telescope Academic Development Kit in question, which is supposed to be available according to Microsoft, appears to have disappeared as well.

America's First Primates In Space +50

NASA marks 50th anniversary of monkeys Able and Miss Baker in space, Huntsville Times

"Monkeys Able and Baker, known as "the monkeynauts," were lofted from Cape Canaveral, Fla., 50 years ago today and were the first American mammals to survive a fiery ride into space.

On May 28, 1959, Able, a 7-pound rhesus monkey, and Baker, an 11-ounce squirrel monkey, were crammed into the nose cone of an Army Jupiter missile and shot 360 miles into space during a 16-minute mission."

Taking Care of the GAP, Russian Style

NASA Extends Contract with Russian Federal Space Agency, NASA

"NASA has signed a $306 million modification to the current International Space Station contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency for crew transportation and related services in 2012 and 2013.

The firm-fixed price modification covers comprehensive Soyuz support, including all necessary training and preparation for launch, crew rescue, and landing of a long-duration mission for six individual station crew members."

Augustine Panel Members Identified

Here's the names of most of the Augustine Commission, Orlando Sentinel

"In the interests of hastening the process -- some folks are saying that the announcement could come as early as this afternoon -- here's the names of eight members we've been able to nail down:.."

Editor's note: The list includes: Christopher Chyba, Sally Ride, Lester Lyles, Edward Crawley, Bohdan "Bo" Bejmuk, Jeff Greason, Wanda Austin.

If the list is accurate there is at least one former astronaut among the panel in Sally Ride and surprisingly Jeff Greason of XCOR.

Frank's note: Why no Apollo moonwalkers? Why not somebody like Gene Krantz, Chris Kraft, Glen Lunney, Bill Readdy, etc? Also, NASA's in great need of a makeover of its communications operations. Will this commission hear any ideas in that direction?-How to sustain public outreach and engagement for whatever path they recommend? I'd be happy to volunteer to make the case for an overhaul...

Virgin Galactic News from ISDC

Virgin Galactic - Successful SpaceShipTwo Rocket Motor Testing, Virgin Galactic (With videos)

"In the desert of southern California, Virgin Galactic's key supplier Scaled Composites and its subcontractor SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation) have successfully completed the first tests of the innovative rocket motor that will propel space tourists, scientists and payloads into space. The hybrid Nitrous Oxide system being used is the largest of its kind in the world and it will send Virgin's customers up into sub-orbital space at speeds over 2500 mph (4000kmh), to heights over 65 miles (110km) above the Earth’s surface, before the spaceship descends back down through the atmosphere using its pioneering feathered re-entry system. "

Editor's note: The news was released at the National Space Society annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC). Along with the rocket test video and intro by Sir Richard Branson we've also included a new video from Virgin Galactic called "Let the Journey Begin". Enjoy!

Cause for Concern? More Data Needed on Ocean's Health

NASA Satellite Detects Red Glow to Map Global Ocean Plant Health (With video), NASA

"The new analysis of MODIS data has allowed the research team to detect new regions of the ocean affected by iron deposition and depletion. The Indian Ocean was a particular surprise, as large portions of the ocean were seen to "light up" seasonally with changes in monsoon winds. In the summer, fall, and winter -- particularly summer -- significant southwesterly winds stir up ocean currents and bring more nutrients up from the depths for the phytoplankton. At the same time, the amount of iron-rich dust delivered by winds is reduced."

Editor's note: Earth observation by satellites provide critical data on the health of our planet. This new report about ocean health plant indicates surprising changes are happening and it's too early to raise the alarm but there is evidence for some concern. Unfortunately it's taken a while to interpret the data and because of this it has not been a priority for the next launch of ocean satellites and the U.S. is losing the capability to get more data. One proposal for a mission which would have the right instrumentation is a NASA decadal survey mission ACE - Aerosol Cloud Ecosystems. However it is not funded. Researchers will continue to get data from the existing satellites but those satellites are nearing the end of their projected life cycle. In the gap the U.S. may have to rely on international partners for data. At least another 10 years worth of data is needed.

- Audio MP3 of presentations and reporters questions and answers. (35mb MP3 - 37 minutes)

New York Times Weighs In on Bolden

Nominees for the Space Agency, New York Times

"Unfortunately, General Bolden lacks deep expertise in space science and engineering and his past ties with the aerospace industry will raise conflict of interest problems. Before the Senate confirms him, it should probe how well fitted he is to guide the agency through a difficult transition from the space shuttle to follow-on vehicles designed to reach the Moon and beyond."

Keith's note: When it comes to NASA, there's just no satisfying the NY Times, it would seem. Let's peer into their (anonymous) shallow, drive-by analysis. Tick tick tick - Oops, I find a flaw: Sean O'Keefe - with admittedly zero technical expertise - guided the VSE from nothing to Presidential and Congressional endorsement. Yet uber techie Mike Griffin was handed the VSE on a silver platter, took the Shuttle/Orion gap, made it longer, and then fumbled by designing a rocket that is still not fully out of PDR after 3 years and in danger of cancellation. If Griffin made a "second guess" it certainly was not the right one.

Marc Boucher Editor's note: It's so easy to criticize a nominee. In reading the op-ed I get the sense that he's both qualified and not-qualified, which is it? Here's what I know, NASA needs leadership. Is Charles Bolden a leader? Someone people can talk to, who will listen to what his experts tell him and be able to make an informed decision on critical issues? I believe he is.

NASA had an technical expert in Mike Griffin, and look at the agency now. Sure Griffin understood the technical details - but was he a leader? Not the kind that NASA needed. Finding the right mix of skill sets and leadership is hard to do for an agency like NASA. Right now NASA needs a leader more than an engineer at the top. NASA has plenty of qualified engineers to provide expert advice to Bolden. Let's get on with the confirmation hearing as quickly as possible and let Bolden get on with the job.

History teaches us that leaders, even if they lack some skills can get the job done. Lest we forget who guided NASA during the Apollo years. It was James Webb, a former Marine pilot with a law degree and Washington insider. He wasn't an engineer and yet he managed in his seven year tenure to lead NASA at its most critical time.

Frank's note: The New York Times has had an anti-NASA bias for nearly half a century. This is the same newspaper that continually criticized the Apollo program but when the Saturn V assembly lines were closed in September 1969 decried the move as "abandoning" the capability for manned lunar missions. First they criticized the VSE as a questionable series of goals, then claimed it would never win Congressional support, then has continually raised the issue of funding-funding for manned spaceflight that it has always opposed. Truth of fact: who cares what they think anyway?

Human Space Flight Panel to be Revealed Shortly

Spaceflight Panel Wants Open Minds, Aviation Week

"Membership in the White House/NASA panel being set up to give the Obama administration a quick review of the U.S. human spaceflight program will be announced as early as May 27, and the group of 10 aerospace experts should clear all the regulatory wickets to begin work in about two weeks, according to Norman Augustine, the retired Lockheed Martin CEO who will chair the group."

Lunar Lander Challenges Official Notice Posted

Notice of Centennial Challenges -- 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge, NASA

"The 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge is now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may soon register (see contact information (below). The NASA Centennial Challenges is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in technologies of interest and value to NASA and the nation. The Lunar Lander Challenge is a prize competition designed to accelerate technology developments in reusable rocket-powered vehicles including vehicles capable of ferrying cargo or humans between lunar orbit and the lunar surface as well as future Earth launch vehicles or other rocket-powered vehicles. The Lunar Lander Challenge is administered for NASA by the X Prize Foundation. The prize purse is funded by NASA."

"DATES: The 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge will be held as an open period of competition for flight attempts between July 1, 2009, and October 31, 2009."

Editor's note: Official notice posted for this years challenge. Note the new date format.

Fox News Carries Story Claiming Aliens Saved Earth

Editor's note: I know, I know, what does this have to do with NASA? Nothing. But since Keith is about to get back and assume the reins of NASA Watch I thought I would throw this story out at you from our "favorite" news service, Fox News ;-)

And although the scientist is Russian the source of the story is the Macedonian International News Agency. I'll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.

Russian Scientist: UFO Crashed Into Meteorite to Save Earth, Fox News

"Did a UFO deliberately crash into a meteor to save Earth 100 years ago? That's what one Russian scientist is claiming.

Dr. Yuri Labvin, president of the Tunguska Spatial Phenomenon Foundation, insists that an alien spacecraft sacrificed itself to prevent a gigantic meteor from slamming into the planet above Siberia on June 30, 1908."

Spirit and Opportunity, Meet Your New Big Cousin Curiosity

Editor's note: What do you think of the new name, Curiosity, for the Mars Science Laboratory rover? Vote in our poll and comment.

NASA Selects Student's Entry as New Mars Rover Name, NASA

"NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2011, has a new name, thanks to a sixth-grade student from Kansas. Twelve-year-old Clara Ma from the Sunflower Elementary school in Lenexa submitted the winning entry, "Curiosity." As her prize, Ma wins a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., where she will be invited to sign her name directly onto the rover as it is being assembled."

Editor's Update: Miles O'Brien provides his take on MSL's new name Curiosity - It’s a “Curiosity” alright…

ISS About to Have a Crew of Six With Soyuz-TMA 15 Launch

Soyuz TMA-15 Launches Three Astronauts to the International Space Station to Augment Crew to Six, NASA

"The International Space Station crew is awaiting the arrival of three new members that will usher in an era of six-person crews aboard the orbiting laboratory. Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Bob Thirsk launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft Wednesday morning from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan."

- After the break you can watch the launch of Soyuz-TMA 15.

Ground Test for Ares I-X Start This Week

NASA's Slender New Rocket to be Tested for Stability Before Launch, NASA

"A critical series of ground tests are scheduled to begin this week at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to confirm that Ares I-X, the precursor to NASA's next generation launch vehicle, will behave as predicted as it lifts off the pad and powers through the initial stage of flight in a demonstration flight later this year."

"Computer analytical models developed by the agency have predicted how the Ares I-X will behave when launched. The upcoming ground tests will validate those vehicle models that were used to derive the flight control parameters by comparing test data with the predicted vehicle flight behavior."

A Couple of Good Upcoming NASA Briefings

Editor's note: There's a couple of interesting NASA briefings this week:

1. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Science Results and Update - Dr. Richard Zurek will present new science results from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Wednesday, May 27 at NASA headquarters auditorium between 1-2:30 p.m. The event will also be carried on NASA TV. The briefing will include new images in 3-D.

2. NASA Briefing Provides New Global View of Ocean Health - NASA will hold a media teleconference on Thursday, May 28, at 1 p.m. EDT, to present the first-ever global views of the health of marine plant life. There doesn't appear to be any live NASA TV coverage but there will be live streaming audio.

White House Release on Bolden and Garver Nominations Lacks Hoopla

Editor's note: So much for the "hoopla" surrounding the nominations of Charles Bolden and Lori Garver. While I understand President Obama wanted to make the announcement after the Shuttle landed but that the weather scrapped that idea, the way it actually came out was the typical bury it on a long weekend when an administration really doesn't consider it a high priority. This morning in my RSS feed I received from the White House Briefing Room the press release at 3:23 a.m. EDT which had a published stamp on it of 5:31 a.m. Saturday, May 23. And of course as everyone knows the release was released as a statement, the online copy didn't show until today.

As well the title of the press release was "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". No mention of NASA or Bolden. If you compare that to other releases from the White House it does provide an indication as to how important the release was. In fact I continue to question how committed the White House is towards NASA.

ITAR Reform Legislation in the Works

Space pioneers battle for greater freedom, New Scientist

"At issue are the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which are supposed to prevent technological secrets ending up in the hands of 21 proscribed nations, including China, Iran and North Korea. If a technology appears on a document called the US Munitions List, companies need a licence to export it or to reveal details to a foreign national. Even if granted, the licence often forces the firm to mount a security guard on the system while it is in another country."

Editor's note: I received a note from Mike Gold who wanted to clarify one item in the above story by the New Scientist.

"Specifically, the story says that we paid $220,000 for two guards to watch our coffee table / Genesis Tech Stand. In actual fact, we paid $220,000 to the government for their own monitoring activities, and we also of course had to pay money on top of that for our own security personnel who had to watch all of our ITAR-related hardware and data (not just the coffee table)."

As well, as Chair of the Export Control Working Group which presented to the full FAA Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC), Mike Gold provided NASA Watch with the recommendations the group made to COMSTAC. Mike also indicates that there appears to be legislation in the works that would give the Executive branch the authority to move various technologies, including potentially commsats, off of the US Munitions List. ITAR reform is much needed. Here's the groups recommendations;

1) Under the auspices of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”), or a revived National Space Council, the White House must lead an effort to review and revise the United States Munitions List (“USML”) and the Commerce Control List (“CCL”). Technologies that are obsolete, militarily benign, or widely available in the international commercial marketplace should be placed on the CCL. Moreover, inconsistencies, overlap, and contradictions between the USML and the CCL should be identified and addressed.

2) The White House should establish a standing entity (again, under OSTP or a new Space Council) to support this review process on an ongoing basis. Due to the constantly evolving nature of technology and the global marketplace, the USML and CCL should be reviewed, updated, and reconciled, on at least an annual basis with input from all of the relevant stakeholders and the private sector. Congress, for its part, must draft and pass the legislation necessary to allow this process to take place.

3) The transparency of the export control process must also be enhanced. Specifically, explanatory notes should be included at the end of each USML and CCL category. Additionally, the results of Commodity Jurisdiction requests, including the text of the requests themselves (redacted as necessary), should be publicly released in a timely fashion and in an easily accessible manner.

4) The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”) should bolster the efficacy of its Response Team. The Response Team’s capabilities should be enhanced to allow it to act as an ombudsman, providing interested parties with greater information, as well as recommendations for potential strategies and paths forward. To meet the requisite Response Team staffing needs, the DDTC should consider hiring personnel with practical experience such as present and former Defense Technology Security Administration Space Directorate monitors.

5) The DDTC should be commended for the significant improvements that have been made in response times. To leverage this progress, the DDTC should review and, in coordination with industry and relevant stakeholders, make recommendations to establish realistic ceilings for issuing responses to license applications, Commodity Jurisdiction Requests, and other relevant export control inquiries.

6) The DDTC in conjunction with industry and relevant stakeholders should review and consider expanding the availability of exemptions, such as those granted with respect to Canada, to NATO and Major Non-NATO U.S. allies.

The 1990 Augustine Commission Revisited

Editor's note: I thought it would be a good time to revisit the "Report of the Advisory Committee On the Future of the U.S. Space Program" or the 1990 "Augustine Commission" as it was called. (Report as PDF | HTML and Shuttle-C Users Conference Executive Summary PDF)

Below and continued on the next page you'll find some relevant references to the 1990 report. 19 Years after the report was released Augustine is now chairing the Human Space Flight Panel. A lot has changed in the last 19 years. What lessons have we learned that relate to the 1990 report and the current blue ribbon panel?

Weaning NASA From the Shuttle: Old Ideas Revived, New York Times (Dec. 18, 1990)

"The large rocket was recommended last week by an expert panel headed by Norman R. Augustine, chairman of the Martin Marietta Corporation. Leading candidates for the booster are a cargo-only variation of the space shuttle called Shuttle-C and the Advanced Launch System, or ALS, a joint NASA-Air Force project envisioned as a system for assembling various-size rockets from modular components.

Almost three years ago, NASA proposed building Shuttle-C to serve as its so-called heavy-lift vehicle. The idea involved a cargo module, a wingless, crewless version of the shuttle, powered by the shuttle's liquid-fueled engines and clamped to the giant fuel tank and solid rocket boosters used by the shuttle. But Congress refused to appropriate funds."

- More on the Shuttle-C at Astronautix
- More on the ALS at Astronautix

Here's a portion that relates to space transportation systems from the Augustine Commission.

"The first goal for a new Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) system should be to augment support of the Space Station. While the Shuttle might carry out some early Space Station deployment, alternative transportation should significantly reduce the cost and risk of that program. The time to make a commitment to this end is now, for the longer the nation delays the building of a new launch system, the greater is the risk that it will embark upon a space station and a subsequent manned exploration program that eventually could prove unsupportable.

This should be the first phase of a continuing effort to upgrade Earth-to- orbit transportation. Some time hence, further advancements in lift capability can be achieved when justified by requirements and technical developments. In particular, this second phase should involve ongoing application of technologies developed in the ALS program, and should lead to the design of an advanced launch vehicle and support system of enhanced efficiency and reliability."

More Reaction on Bolden and Garver Nominations

Keith's note: I think it is a perfect mix. Let's hope the confirmation goes fast so they can get to work.

Editor's note: Here's some more reaction on Charles Bolden and Lori Garver's nominations.

Mike Griffin says Charles Bolden is superb choice for NASA administrator, The Huntsville Times

"Money and vision will be the toughest challenges the duo of Charles Bolden and Lori Garver face if confirmed to take the helm of NASA, said Dr. Mike Griffin who left the top space agency job in January."

Space Foundation Applauds NASA Leadership Nominations, Space Foundation

"By announcing nominations for both Administrator and Deputy Administrator, the White House has demonstrated that it appreciates the importance of both of these key positions to the future of America's space agency," said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham. "Charlie Bolden is an American hero who brings deep NASA knowledge and experience, and unsurpassed leadership skills to the key position of NASA Administrator. Lori Garver is an experienced space policy professional with significant previous NASA experience, strong knowledge of the space industry, and the political and communication skills that are crucial to communicating with the administration, Congress and the public."

IFPTE Applauds Selection of New NASA Leadership Team, IFPTE

"IFPTE once again would like to take this opportunity to thank President Obama for delivering on his campaign promise by providing a $2 billion dollar infusion of additional funds into NASA, despite the current fiscal pressures. We now look forward to working with General Bolden, a man of extreme courage, integrity, and accomplishment, as he works to implement President Obama's vision of a renewed and rebalanced NASA. We are equally pleased with the selection of Lori Garver, who IFPTE believes is not only an outstanding choice for the Deputy's position, but also a person who we expect will play a key role in the future direction of NASA."

Coalition Supports Obama's Nomination of Bolden and Garver to Head NASA, Coalition for Space Exploration

"America's space program is at a critical crossroad. NASA needs a clearly defined plan and unwavering support from the president and Congress to achieve our nation's space exploration objectives. We look forward to working with the new NASA administrator and his leadership team as we address the rapidly approaching human spaceflight gap following retirement of the Space Shuttle, the next generation Constellation program and full utilization of the International Space Station."

Less Pizza, More NASA

Griffin: NASA works for 'chump change', The Huntsville Times

"Griffin, who started as a professor with the University of Alabama in Huntsville this week, said polls show most think NASA receives about 24 percent of the $3 trillion federal budget, but the reality is the space agency gets less than 1 percent out of federal coffers. Its budget is roughly $18 billion a year."

"What we do is huge, and we do it for chump change - less than the annual market for pizza," which is $27 billion a year, Griffin said."

Editor's note: The speech was really about moving forward with Constellation as is. And while the pizza analogy is funny, the fact is that NASA is trying to do too much with too little. As for Constellation, well that's about to go under review and we'll see how things stand in three months from now. But you can bet there will be non-stop lobbying between now and when the Augustine Human Space Flight Review report is released.

STS-125 Space Shuttle Atlantis Lands at Edward Air Force Base

Editor's: Because of ongoing bad weather in Florida Space shuttle Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base at 11:39 a.m. EDT, completing its 13-day journey.

You can watch the post mission news conference live right now on NASA TV.

NASA's Space Shuttle Returns to Earth after Hubble Mission, NASA

"This mission highlights what the challenges of spaceflight can bring out in human beings," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This mission required the absolute best from the shuttle team, the Hubble science and repair teams, and the crew. The results are a tribute to the entire team and the years of preparation."

Charles Bolden Nominated for NASA Administrator by President Obama

President Barack Obama meets with General Charles Bolden, right, and White House aides earlier this week in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

It seems almost anti-climatic now after we announced on May 14 that Bolden would be the next administrator.

President Obama wanted to make the announcement after the shuttle had landed but I suppose with all the "hoopla" surrounding the fact that everyone already unofficially knew, the White House decided to just release the information.

Editor's Update: Ok, it's now finally official, but what does this mean? NASA's has some tough budget years ahead of them with Constellation over budget and negative or zero growth budgets coming. President Obama is a science guy and perhaps not so much a human space flight exploration advocate. The reality is that no matter how many speeches he gives where he touts the inspiration of NASA, it takes hard cold cash to make things happen, especially human space flight.

NASA's fiscal year 2010 budget request of $18.686 billion includes $456M increase for science and $630M increase for Exploration. Some of that increase is because of the one time Recovery Act stimulus money. If you look at projected budgets for fiscal years 2011, 2012, 2013 you see either negative or zero growth. Already sources say Bolden expressed concern at his meeting with President Obama because he was told that further cuts to human spaceflight in future budgets might be needed.

I have no doubt Bolden is a leader, the question is, with the projected budgets he'll have, can he get Constellation back on track and on schedule? And what effect will the Human Space Flight Review Panel have going forward?

It's great to see a nominee like Bolden put forward but really how much can he accomplish? Will Bolden be bold in his leadership?

White House Statement:

"Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: General Charles Bolden, Administrator of NASA and Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator of NASA.

President Obama said, "These talented individuals will help put NASA on course to boldly push the boundaries of science, aeronautics and exploration in the 21st century and ensure the long-term vibrancy of America's space program."

Editor's Update: Senator Bill Nelson provides his comments on Bolden's nomination (MP3). As well on the next page is a video response by Nelson.

Chairman Gordon, Chairwoman Giffords Comment on President’s Choice to Head NASA

"Today, President Obama announced his intention to nominate retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Bolden to be the next NASA Administrator. General Bolden is a former astronaut, who flew on the shuttle four times.

“General Bolden is an inspirational figure,” said Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Chairwoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). “As a veteran of four shuttle missions, General Bolden possesses valuable first-hand knowledge of our country’s effort to explore and understand the universe. As a decorated Marine, he exemplifies an ethic of service to his country. His appointment comes at a critical time. The Committee is beginning work on a multi-year authorization for NASA. We look forward to working with the Administrator, once he’s in place, to ensure that vital programs at NASA flourish.”

Statement by Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas on Bolden Nomination

The nomination of General Bolden to lead NASA is a positive sign for the future of our human spaceflight program. General Bolden’s background has given him the relevant management and technical experience to address the great challenges facing NASA today.

“These challenges will have a lasting impact on our economy and our standing as the world leader in space, science, and technology. I look forward to working with our new NASA administrator to ensure a robust human spaceflight program and to minimize the gap in order to protect jobs and support America’s strategic interests. General Bolden is eminently qualified to accomplish this important mission.”

Biography of Major General Charles Bolden, Nominee for Administrator of NASA

Charles Bolden retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2003 as the Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing after serving more than 34 years, and is currently CEO of JackandPanther LLC, a privately-held military and aerospace consulting firm. Gen. Bolden began his service in U.S. Marine Corps in 1968. He flew more than 100 sorties in Vietnam from 1972-73. In 1980, he was selected as an astronaut by NASA, flying two space shuttle missions as pilot and two missions as commander. Following the Challenger accident in 1986, Gen. Bolden was named the Chief of the Safety Division at the Johnson Space Center with responsibilities for overseeing the safety efforts in the return-to-flight efforts. He was appointed Assistant Deputy Administrator of NASA headquarters in 1992. He was Senior Vice President at TechTrans International, Inc. from 2003 until 2005. Gen. Bolden holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis and a M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California.

Lori Garver, Nominee for Deputy Administrator of NASA

Lori Garver is the President of Capital Space, LLC, and has served as Senior Advisor for Space at the Avascent Group, a strategy and management consulting firm, based in Washington, D.C. She was the lead civil space policy advisor for Obama for America, and she helped lead the Agency Review Team for NASA during the Transition. She has intimate familiarity with the agency and knows well the challenges it faces. From 1998 to 2001, Ms. Garver served as NASA's Associate Administrator of the Office of Policy and Plans. Reporting to the NASA Administrator, she oversaw the analysis, development, and integration of NASA policies and long-range plans, the NASA Strategic Management System, and the NASA Advisory Council. Ms. Garver also served as a primary spokesperson for NASA. Prior to this appointment, she served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Office of Policy and Plans, and Special Assistant to the Administrator. Ms. Garver earned an M.S. in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Colorado College.

Bolden Watch

Editor's note: Unless something dramatically changes Charles Bolden should be the nominee President Obama puts forth very soon.

At least one issue came up during his vetting process which was later cleared and that is his lobbying efforts. You can read more about Bolden's lobbying career here.

Then there was the meeting with President Obama. By all accounts, the meeting was a pleasant one with Bolden only expressing concern when President Obama discussed the possible need for future cuts to the human spaceflight program. It would seem Bolden is not be in favor of cuts to the spaceflight program.

While Senator Nelson has been pushing all along to get Bolden the nomination it appears the only major Senate hurdle at this time is that of Senator Mikulski who appears to have some reservations about Bolden.

The Bolden Watch continues.

Editor's Update: The announcement could come as early as tomorrow morning after the shuttle lands. As well Lori Garver, a former Associate Administrator of the Office of Policy and Plans at NASA between 1998 to 2001 and who headed Obama's Presidential Transition Agency Review for NASA, is expected to be named Deputy Administrator.

Memorial Day Long Weekend

Editor's note: We are heading into a long weekend and I do hope everyone takes the opportunity to enjoy it. NASA Watch on Memorial Day will be publishing on a as needed basis, in other words taking a break ourselves unless something comes up. However should any substantial news happen you can be notified by email - SMS alerts and through any of the following Twitter accounts: NASA Watch, Marc Boucher, SpaceRef, and when he's back online KeithCowing. If you have something newsworthy you can email me, Marc Boucher at marc.boucher@spaceref.com.

Frank's note: Happy Memorial Day all you spacers! Let's hope next week brings new leadership at NASA! BTW, I've had a blast working with Marc while Keith's been away-learned a lot from all of you. Ready to relinquish my pen upon Keith's return....

Weather Delays Shuttle Landing Until Saturday

NASA's Space Shuttle Landing Delayed By Weather, NASA

"Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew will stay in space another day after bad weather prevented them from landing Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida."

"The landing times below are approximate and subject to change. All times are EDT:

Sunday Landing Opportunities
10:01 a.m., Orbit 196, landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 8:42 a.m.)
10:04 a.m., Orbit 196, landing at White Sands (deorbit burn at 8:46 a.m.)
10:10 a.m., Orbit 196, landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 8:57 a.m.)
11:39 a.m., Orbit 197, landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 10:24 a.m.)
11:42 a.m., Orbit 197, landing at White Sands (deorbit burn at 10:29 a.m.)
11:48 a.m., Orbit 197, landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 10:42 a.m.)"

Is the US Global Positioning System at Risk?

GPS signal under threat, Nature

"Concern over the US Global Positioning System (GPS) stepped up a notch today after a senior official from the US government's congressional watchdog warned that the US Department of Defense faced substantial challenges meeting its space-programme commitments."

Air Force waves off warnings about GPS accuracy, AP

"Lt. Col. Tim Lewallen, deputy director of GPS at Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, agreed with the GAO's conclusion that there is a risk that service could degrade. But he said the risk is very small."

GPS system 'close to breakdown', The Guardian

"US government officials are concerned that the quality of the Global Positioning System (GPS) could begin to deteriorate as early as next year, resulting in regular blackouts and failures – or even dishing out inaccurate directions to millions of people worldwide."

Back to the Moon We Go

NASA Details Plans for Lunar Exploration Robotic Missions, NASA

NASA's return to the moon will get a boost in June with the launch of two satellites that will return a wealth of data about Earth's nearest neighbor. On Thursday, the agency outlined the upcoming missions of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS. The spacecraft will launch together June 17 aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Editor's note: Regardless of what architecture we might use to go back to the Moon, the fact remains the launch in June of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite are good science missions. In the press release above I've included four videos which will give you a good overview of the missions.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to peer into history, Spaceflight Now

"But LRO will also provide an exciting new window on the past, says Craig Tooley, LRO project manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center which heads the project.

The LRO team has been developing a computerized target list "with coordinates on about 50 high priority locations that involve all six Apollo landing sites and dozens of U. S. and Soviet robotic spacecraft touchdown points," says Benjamin J. Neumann director for advanced capabilities at NASA Œs Exploration Mission Directorate. "

Bolden Update - The Waiting Game

Editor's note: Ok, so everyone wants to know when Bolden is going to be the official nominee. Well the answer is, publicly no one knows. What we do know is that Bolden did meet with Obama as we said he would. We also know that White House Press Secretary Gibbs said this yesterday in response to a reporters question on Bolden:

"Q Can you read out the meeting with Charles Holden today?

MR. GIBBS: I think the President looks forward to meeting with him and hopes that he's the right person to lead NASA in the coming years and through its evolving role."

As soon as we know something we'll let you know.

Editor's Update: Several sources are reporting the meeting did not go well while another well placed source says we should be patient, it will be any day now. Haven't we heard that before?

Further to my note above, today's White House press briefing had no mention of NASA. And it should also be noted that President Obama will deliver a "Major" national security speech tomorrow at the National Archives so I doubt we'll hear anything tomorrow morning. With Atlantis scheduled to land Friday at 9:01 a.m. CDT at Kennedy Space Center, weather permitting, perhaps we might hear something on Friday??

Editor's Update 10:00 p.m. EDT: At least two sources suggest that when Obama suggested to Bolden during their meeting that cuts to the human spaceflight budget might be needed later, Bolden said he would strongly counsel him not to. Otherwise, it was characterized as a pleasant conversation.

President Obama Calls the Space Shuttle Atlantis

The White House - Shuttle Call, White House

"And we're soon going to have a new NASA Administrator. I can't disclose it to you, because I've got to have hoopla on the announcement back here on Earth. But I can assure you that it's a high priority of mine to restore that sense of wonder that space can provide and to make sure that we've got a strong sense of mission, not just within NASA but for the country as a whole."

Editor's note: Here's the MP3 of the call and transcript of the call.

We are GO for Water Recovery System

NASA Gives Space Station Crew 'Go' to Drink Recycled Water, NASA

"NASA's Mission Control gave the Expedition 19 astronaut crew aboard the International Space Station a "go" to drink water that the station's new recycling system has purified."

"Mission Control radioed the news to the crew Wednesday, following a report from the Water Recovery System team that station program managers approved. The decision is an important milestone in the development of the station's environmental and life support systems, which will begin supporting six-person crews at the end of May."

Editor's note: No jokes now, ok? BTW, NASA, if you send me to the space station I'll write a report on the system.

Ares I Parachutes Test Successful

NASA Tests Largest Rocket Parachutes Ever for Ares I, NASA

"NASA and industry engineers successfully completed the first test of the Ares I rocket's three main parachutes Wednesday. The parachutes -- the largest rocket parachutes ever manufactured -- are designed to slow the rapid descent of the rocket's spent first-stage motor, permitting its recovery for use on future flights."

Editor's Update: We've now got the video on the next page of today's test.

TacSat-3 and Pharmasat Successfully Launched

TacSat-3 and PharmaSat Nanosatellite Successfully Launched (Watch Launch Video), NASA

"NASA's PharmaSat nanosatellite successfully launched at 4:55 p.m. PDT from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located at Wallops Island, Va. PharmaSat rode to orbit aboard a four-stage Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket. Also aboard were the Air Force Research Laboratory's TacSat-3 satellite and other NASA CubeSat Technology Demonstration experiments, which include three four-inch cubed satellites developed by universities and industry."

Candid Comments on the Constellation Program

STS-125 Mission Status Briefing - May 19, 2005 (Video), NASA

Editor's note: Today's STS-125 mission briefing included some unusual and candid comments from Dr. David S. Leckrone, Senior Project Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope. Go to the 21:00 minute mark and start from there. The Constellation program gets an earful.

- Video on the next page.

Thursday Briefing Set for Moon Missions

NASA Announces Briefing about Satellite Missions to the Moon, NASA

"NASA will hold a briefing about two upcoming lunar missions scheduled to launch in June that will begin a journey to better understand the moon. A briefing with members of the mission and science teams will be held Thursday, May 21, at 4 p.m. EDT, in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street, SW, in Washington. The briefing will air live on NASA Television and the agency's Web site.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, focuses on the selection of safe landing sites, identification of lunar resources and the study of how lunar radiation will affect humans. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, will impact the moon twice in its search for water ice."

Weather Forces NASA to Cancel Media Event at Kennedy

Editor's note: Heads up: Because of bad weather at Kennedy the media event tomorrow to view Tranquility Node has been cancelled.

Reminder - Hearing: NASA’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request

Editor's note: Shortly after Charles Bolden meets with President Obama, Acting Administrator Chris Scolese will be headed to today's hearing on NASA's FY 2010 budget request. And not too long after the hearing we will hopefully have astronaut Scott Parazynski summitting Mt. Everest carrying moon rocks from Apollo 11. These events among others makes for a pretty interesting day.

Editor's Update: The meeting between Obama and Bolden is over. We'll keep you posted when an announcement is forthcoming.

Obama meets with candidate for NASA job, AP

"President Barack Obama has met with a leading candidate to head NASA.

The administration isn't expected to announce a new NASA chief immediately."

Human Space Flight Plans Committee Notice Posted

Notice of Establishment of a NASA Advisory Committee, Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App, NASA

"The Committee shall conduct an independent review of ongoing U.S. human space flight plans and programs, as well as alternatives, to ensure that the nation is pursuing the best trajectory for the future of human space flight—one that is safe, innovative, affordable, and sustainable. The Committee should aim to identify and characterize a range of options that spans the reasonable possibilities for continuation of U.S. human space flight activities beyond retirement of the Space Shuttle. The identification and characterization of these options should address the following objectives: (a) Expediting a new U.S. capability to support utilization of the International Space Station (ISS); (b) supporting missions to the Moon and other destinations beyond low Earth orbit (LEO); (c) stimulating commercial space flight capability; and (d) fitting within the current budget profile for NASA exploration activities. "

Editor's note: The above notice appeared in the Federal Register on Friday after being filled on Thursday and was dated May 12 by NASA officials. The committee will exist for six months and can be renewed.

"In addition to the objectives described above, the review should examine the appropriate amount of R&D and complementary robotic activities needed to make human space flight activities most productive and affordable over the long term, as well as appropriate opportunities for international collaboration. It should also evaluate what capabilities would be enabled by each of the potential architectures considered. It should evaluate options for extending International Space Station operations beyond 2016. The Committee shall conduct meetings as appropriate at various locations throughout the United States. The Committee will provide advice only and will comply fully with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)."

Bolden Will Meet Obama Tuesday Morning

Editor's Update Monday 4:00 p.m. EDT: At the daily White House Briefing, Press Secretary Gibbs said that President Obama will now meet Charles Bolden tomorrow [Tuesday] morning.

FYI, our poll "Do you approve of Charles Bolden as NASA's next administrator?" yielded 457 votes of which 75% of the respondents approved of the selection of Bolden as NASA's next administrator.

earlier posts

Editor's note: Mark Knoller, CBS News White House Correspondent reports that Charles Bolden will meet with President Obama today at 2 p.m. EDT. If Bolden is offered and accepts the nomination of NASA Administrator then we should have an official announcement as early as tomorrow.

Editor's Update: Meeting with Bolden has been rescheduled as meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu went longer than expected. More details to follow as soon as we know.

Astronauts Once Again Demonstrate Why Humans Must be a Part of Space Exploration

STS-125 MCC Status Report #15 - 5 p.m. CDT Monday, May 18, 2009, NASA

"Over the course of the mission's five spacewalks, the crew added two new science instruments, repaired two others and replaced hardware that will extend the telescope's life at least through 2014. The five spacewalks lasted 36 hours and 56 minutes all together. There have been 23 spacewalks devoted to Hubble, totaling 166 hours and six minutes."

"STS-125 mission specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel completed the fifth and final spacewalk on the Hubble Space Telescope Monday at 3:22 p.m. EDT. Outside the airlock hatch, Grunsfeld said, "This is a really tremendous adventure that we’ve been on, a very challenging mission. Hubble isn’t just a satellite- it’s about humanity’s quest for knowledge."

Editor's note: This has been a tremendous mission for NASA and humanity and demonstrates once again the need for astronauts to be an integral part of space exploration. With Charles Bolden surely to be nominated in the coming days, if not tomorrow, and with a review of human space flight plans underway, should he become the next NASA Administrator I hope he demonstrates the leadership every one is looking for and fights for a strong human space flight program that goes beyond LEO.

Space Florida has a New President

Space Florida Board of Directors Unanimously Approves Frank DiBello as Interim President, Space Florida

"Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp, Chair of the Space Florida Board of Directors, conducted a Special Board of Directors Meeting via teleconference to nominate and vote on an interim president to serve at Space Florida. With a quorum present, the Board unanimously approved Frank DiBello to serve in this capacity while a permanent president is identified."

Launch Date Now Set for LRO and LCROSS Moon Missions

Editor's note: Mark June 17th on you calendar as that's when NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will launch on an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. As part of the lead up and during the mission Paul. D Tompkins, Flight Team Leader of LCROSS has started blogging. Here is a snippet of his latest entry.

Our Last View of LCROSS, Paul. D Tompkins, Flight Team Leader, LCROSS Flight Director's Blog

"This past week, LCROSS and LRO were finally mated together, LCROSS on the bottom, and LRO on top, as I described on my 5/13 post. On Friday, both spacecraft were encapsulated inside the Atlas V payload fairing, the sleek nosecone of the launch vehicle. Now that they are inside, they will remain in this cocoon until they are released into space after launch. Seeing this in photos brought a strange sense of finality to the whole development. Years of effort, and now the team is done designing, done building, and nearly done testing. It really comes down to the launch team and the operations team now. Launch is one month away!"

On Twitter:
- NASA LCROSS
- NASA LRO

Proponents of DIRECT Offer Rebuttal to NASA's Analysis

Editor's note: Proponents of the DIRECT Space Transportation System Derivative have released their rebuttal of NASA's October 2007 Direct 2.0 Analysis Findings.

- DIRECT Rebuttal (19MB PDF)

Also note that the DIRECT team will offer version 3.0 at the upcoming National Space Society ISDC conference in Orlando later this month.

Charles Bolden to Meet with President Obama

Keith's note: While everyone waves their arms around and parses short press conference responses in and out of context, senior sources report that this is very, very close to being a done deal. People do not meet with President Obama about a job unless their appointment to the position that they are being considered for is all but certain.

All indications point to Charles Bolden as being NASA's next Administrator. Get used to that idea, folks. It is abundantly clear to me based both on sources and logic as I sit here in a cold little tent in Nepal. We'll all know in a very short period of time.

Editor's note: As expected Charles Bolden will meet with President Obama on Monday at which time the President will most likely ask Bolden to be the administrations nominee for NASA administrator.

He would still need to be confirmed by the Senate and as Frank Sietzen has pointed out in a previous post there is some opposition to Bolden. However Bolden is well liked, has the necessary experience, is a leader and should emerge from Senate hearings relatively unscathed. What is not known is what direction the White House would have him steer NASA towards. And what type of mark he could make himself on the agency. What we do know so far is that the White House has ordered a review of NASA's human space flight plans and is placing a greater emphasis on science programs.

Our own reader poll, 404 votes so far, indicates Bolden has a 76% favorable rating as the potential next administrator. Considering the audience that NASA Watch has, the broad support Bolden is getting bodes well for him.

Ex-Astronaut Is Top Candidate to Run NASA, New York Times

"Mr. Gibbs then confirmed that General Bolden was the person Mr. Obama would be interviewing. “He will meet with him on Monday, and we’ll see how that goes,” Mr. Gibbs said."

Bolden Likely to Be Named NASA Head; Plans to Meet With Obama, Wall Street Journal

"Barring some last-minute hitch, these officials said, the nomination could be announced as early as next week. Mr. Obama is scheduled to meet Mr. Bolden on Monday, an Obama administration official said Friday. While the decision is expected, according to this official, it "isn't a done deal yet." A person familiar with the situation said an announcement would follow sometime after the president's meeting."

NASA's Next Administrator - Charles F. Bolden?

Editor's note: NASA Watch has learned that Major General Charles F. Bolden will most likely be named NASA's next administrator according to our sources. He will still need to be confirmed by the Senate.

MSNBC is also reporting this news.

Keith's note: As I have said numerous times before, this would a wonderful choice. You don't get face time with Obama unless you are at the absolute top of the list - and no other names are being floated. My guess is that the job is Bolden's if the stars all align properly. So far, align they have.

Frank's note: Well, it didn't happen in the first 100 days, but Obama beat both Clinton (who inherited Dan Goldin as administrator but didn't decide to keep him for several months into 1993) and George W. Bush (who kept Goldin on for the better part of a year until drafting Sean O'Keefe- having failed to find a suitable other candidate) in the time it took him to pick a NASA Administrator. Bolden brings both astronaut experience as well as corporate and military management skills to NASA at this critical time, having been sought as Deputy Administrator by O'Keefe, a move blocked (gleefully at the time) by O'Keefe's arch nemesis Donald Rumsfeld. My prediction is a political type for his deputy- maybe Lori Garver gets her long sought patronage appointment? The only question is-what took Obama so long, since Bolden had been talked up for the post for months. Stay tuned!

Editor's Update: Poll: Do you approve of Charles Bolden as NASA's next administrator?

Frank's update: Sources tell me a powerful member of the Senate Approps Committee has signaled opposition to Bolden, for reasons not yet clear. So the appointment may not yet be a done deal..

Editor's Update - Friday 10:28 p.m. PDT: Someone is going to meet with President Obama on Monday it would seem, and it still appears to be Bolden.

Bolden to Meet with Obama Monday about NASA Job, Washington Post

"White House press secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed the Monday meeting between Obama and a NASA administrator prospect during today's daily briefing, but wouldn't name Bolden.

GIBBS: He will meet with them on -- on Monday, and we'll have -- we'll see how that goes. "

Bolden Reacts To Reports of His Impending NASA Nomination, Space.com

"However, reached by phone May 15, Bolden told Space News he had not been asked to take the job and had no plans to meet with White House officials to discuss it.

"I am hearing the rumors, and as far as I know there is no truth in the rumors," Bolden said. "You can't say 'yes' or 'no' when you haven't had a conversation. I haven't had that conversation and I don't have one scheduled."

Related:

Charlie Bolden: News or Noise?, NASA Watch, January 7, 2009

Statement by Charles Bolden at a Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space Hearing "NASA Budget and Programs: Outside Perspectives", SpaceRef, June 7, 2006

GenCorp Elects Charles F. Bolden to its Board of Directors; Robert A. Wolfe to Resign, SpaceRef, December 17, 2004

White House Pulls the Plug on Bolden Nomination to No. 2 Position at NASA, SpaceRef, March 13, 2002

Former Astronaut Charles F. Bolden to Return to NASA, SpaceRef, February 1, 2002

White House, NASA Administrator Move to Fill Key Agency Positions, SpaceRef, January 31, 2002

Stunning Shuttle Image

Space Shuttle Transits the Sun, NASA

"In this tightly cropped image, the NASA space shuttle Atlantis is seen in silhouette during solar transit, Tuesday, May 12, 2009, from Florida. This image was made before Atlantis and the crew of STS-125 had grappled the Hubble Space Telescope."

- Large Version

Charles Bolden - Public Sentiment is Positive

Editor's note: Since we started running our poll this morning an overwhelming majority of respondents, 82%, view Charles Bolden positively as NASA's next administrator. As well a majority of the comments have been favorable. You can vote in our poll until Sunday and we'll have the final results on Monday.

Miles O'Brien has also penned his thoughts on Bolden's potential nomination. He, like others also brings up the point that Bolden has lobbied for ATK who are working on Ares I.

It will be interesting to see how the Senate confirmation hearing goes when questions come up about the lobbying when at the same the Augustine panel is reviewing NASA's human space flight plans.

With respect to the panel, a week after announcing its formation all seems to be quiet with not a leak of information as to who will be on the panel and when they'll get started. With only 3 months to complete a review, the clock is ticking.

NASA’s next administrator ready to launch: Charles Bolden, Miles O'Brien

"So why did this take so long? Two issues: there is some concern that a former astronaut should not occupy the corner office on the 9th floor at NASA HQ - that they would focus too much on the white scarf squad - and not enough on NASA’s chronically needy, yet scientifically significant robotic missions. And there is also the lobbying: Bolden has lobbied for the rocket builder ATK."

Griffin - No Human Space Flight Review Needed

BAHEP Roundtable on Human Space Exploration, Guidry News

"The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership hosted United States Senator John Cornyn’s Roundtable Discussion on the Status of Human Space Exploration on Saturday at the Silver Moon Café at Space Center Houston. Listen: RealPlayer MP3"

"Griffin said that NASA does not need the type of review that the Obama administration is proposing, but if it is to occur, he hopes that it convinces the administration to support the manned space program."

"A review that once again asks the question, 'Are the goal posts in the right place? Should we go to the Moon? Should we go to Mars? Should we visit the near-Earth asteroids?' - scrambling that mix again, I think, will not be productive," Griffin said. "The goals have to remain in place for longer than a presidential administration or a session of Congress if you are to get anything out of the space program."

Mars Sample Return Planetary Protection Report Released

Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Mars Sample Return Missions, The National Academies Press

"Importance of Mars Sample Return

- The search for life;
- Geochemical studies and age dating; and
- Understanding of climate and coupled atmosphere-surface-interior processes."

Editor's note: This report was released yesterday. It raises several questions. If humans are to go to Mars, will we do a Mars sample return mission first? NASA and ESA would, but what about China, India or Russia, should they try? And as unlikely as it may seem, what about a potential private venture by a company like SpaceX?

It should be noted that there is no funding for a Mars Sample Return mission at this time and that a NASA or ESA or joint Mars Sample Return mission won't happen until sometime after 2020 at the earliest.

Is NASA Circling the Wagons Around the Launch Vehicle Elements of ESAS?

NASA Internal Memo - Exploration Systems Announces Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, NASA

"The Exploration Systems Mission Directorate has announced the appointment of Dan Dumbacher as acting deputy associate administrator.

Dumbacher is director of the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he leads an organization of 1,400 civil servants and 1,200 contractors responsible for the design, test, evaluation and operation of hardware and software associated with space transportation systems and science instruments. He has also served as deputy director for the Ares Projects Office at Marshall and in the Safety and Mission Assurance Office at the center. He has served in numerous other capacities at Marshall in the Engineering Directorate and the Space Shuttle Program."

Related:
• Dan Dumbacher Named Director of Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center - May 21, 2007, NASA
  
• NASA Engineer, Indiana Native Dan Dumbacher Helps Lead Development of Ares Launch Vehicles - October 10, 2006, SpaceRef
  
• When Failure Means Success: Accepting Risk in Aerospace Projects - NASA Project Management Challenge 2009, Daniel L. Dumbacher, Director, Christopher E. Singer, Deputy Director, NASA (PDF)
  

Can I go Coach?

Russia to charge NASA $51 million per space flight, Reuters

"Russia will charge U.S. astronauts $51 million per return trip to the International Space Station (ISS) from 2012 and will resume selling seats to space tourists, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

NASA needs to use the Russian Soyuz capsule because its own Space Shuttle will be retired next year after nearly 3 decades in service and a replacement is not due until 2014 at the earliest."

Editor's note: At first tourists were being charged $20 million and then more recently $35 million. For US astronauts who are trained, well they'll have the privilege of NASA paying $51 million from 2012. That's about a 46% increase from the current tourist cost and in just three years. I wonder what the profit margin is?

Today's Video: A Chat with Elon Musk

Editor's note: In this video from the Churchill Club on April 9 on FORA.tv SpaceX CEO Elon Musk talks about his quest for a manned mission to Mars by 2020.

Tracking Debris Near Atlantis

Editor's note: From NASA mission control:

"The crew was notified of a very small piece of space debris that was identified within a range of interest of the space shuttle. The debris is from the Chinese Fengyun-1C weather satellite, which was destroyed by a Chinese missile test in 2007. The flight dynamics folks stated that the debris is approximately 10 cm in size, 2.8 km in front of Atlantis, .15 km below and 3.9 km out of plane. It is expected to make its closest approach at 7:28 p.m. EDT. It is being tracked, but remains in the yellow category, meaning a maneuver is unlikely. The crew was told that no action was necessary and that a maneuver was not expected."

Editor's Update: The Chinese space junk passed by the Shuttle without incident.

Atlantis Grapples Hubble

Editor's note: The Atlantis crew completed the grappling of the Hubble Space Telescope. Mission Specialist Michael Good took over manual control of the approach. Good operated a handheld laser range-finding device, aiming it through the shuttle windows at the telescope to provide Commander Scott Altman with supplementary distance and closing rate information.

Watch the video replay.

X-51 Waverider Set to Fly This Fall

Scramjet engine flight tests to start this fall, Dayton Daily News

"Officials hope the engine eventually will provide a speedier transition between conventional aircraft in the atmosphere and rockets in outer space for deployment of satellites, and reconnaissance or strike missions.

"Partners include NASA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Boeing Advanced Network and Space Systems, and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne."

Editor's Update: Another story on the WaveRider by Discovery.

Hypersonic 'WaveRider' Poised for Test Flight, Discovery

"Hoping to bridge the gap between airplanes and rocketships, the U.S. military is preparing to test an experimental aircraft that can fly more than six times faster than the speed of sound on ordinary jet fuel."

Masten Space System's Xombie Make First Successful Test Flight

Masten Space’s XA-0.1B-750 Vehicle Completes First Flight, SpaceRef (With videos)

"Masten Space Systems completed their first vertical take-off, vertical-landing (VTVL) rocket flight demonstration Friday. The demonstration proved out the design and controls of the 730lb rocket-powered vehicle, known as XA-0.1B-750 or "Xombie", its internal nickname."

"While the vehicle was attached to a safety tether, it took off, ascended a few meters, descended, and shut down its engine as designed. The instant the engine shut off the entire team yelled, "YES!""

Minor Damage Seen on Atlantis

STS-125 MCC Status Report #03 - May 12, 2009 - 5 p.m. CDT, NASA

"During that inspection, mission managers noted one area of damage on the forward part of the spacecraft where the wing blends into the fuselage. Initially it appears to be very minor and of no concern for the mission, however the standard expert analysis is underway."

"The STS-125 crew will begin its sleep period at 8:01 p.m. and awaken at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday. The next shuttle status report will be issued after that wake up call or earlier if events warrant."

Editor's Update: Mission control has informed the crew that there will be no need for a focused inspection of the affected small damaged area. The crew was happy to hear the news.

Frank's note:
This is like dodging bullets! Retirement of this aging system is clearly in the national interest-before another accident calls into question the entire viability of NASA's human spaceflight program. If there was another Shuttle disaster in these handful of remaining flights, how would America react? How would Obama react? Let's hope we never have to find out.
Frank's add: Sorry readers but I stand behind my comment. While it is true the foam problem has been significantly reduced, it hasn't been eliminated-and with the Shuttle you are always one serious debris strike from a serious if not fatal turn of events. It was the CAIB that suggested that flying the Shuttle poses risks that cannot be quantified-there are increasing problems that make themselves know only during flight, problems not previously anticipated. There will NEVER be enough funding to fly the Shuttle through the gap until Orion is ready-that's a political fact of life, no matter the huffing and puffing of politicians, who are unable to add more funds to the NASA top line for anything more than one more Shuttle flight.
it is a system that has served the nation well-and time for it to be retired with grace and honor.

Today's Video - External Tank Falling to Earth in HD

Editor's note: If you have not seen NASA's HD video of the STS- 125 external tank as it falls to earth after yesterday's Shuttle launch I urge you to watch it. It's spectacular. Make sure to select the HQ option.

Pad 39A Fondue Liberated!

Ground Crews Inspecting Flame Trench Damage, NASA

"During preliminary inspections of launch pad 39A following yesterday's Atlantis launch, 25 square feet of Fondue Fyre from the North side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector was found to be liberated. The liberated Fondue Fyre appears to be next to a section of the of the solid rocket booster flame deflector that was repaired after STS-120. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area were damaged and will need to be repaired. Preliminary indications are that there will not be an impact to Endeavour's June launch from pad 39A and this does not impact in any way our ability to launch Endeavour from Pad B should the need arise."

Related: Spray-on Layer to Protect Flame Trench

"Just as a swimming pool is coated with a protective layer before it is soaked, the flame trench will be sprayed with Fondue Fyre, a fire-resistant concrete, to shield it from fire and smoke."

"Fondu Fyre is a heat resistant concrete developed during the Apollo space program."

Spirit in Tough

Soft Ground Puts Mars Rover Spirit in Danger, NASA

“Spirit is in a very difficult situation,” JPL’s John Callas, project manager for Spirit and its twin rover, Opportunity, said Monday. “We are proceeding methodically and cautiously. It may be weeks before we try moving Spirit again. Meanwhile, we are using Spirit’s scientific instruments to learn more about the physical properties of the soil that is giving us trouble.”

Editor's note: Looks like Spirit is in a really tough position. The improved power situation could help. The little rover that could will surely survive this problem, right? If not, what a mission it's been.

Reader's Consensus: Develop a new launch vehicle

Frank's note: Readers have spoken-and the overwhelming majority of you want to see Ares 1/and V scrapped in favor of either some variant of Direct, or an EELV derivative. The most popular names suggested for the panel are:

John Young
Pete Worden
Paul Spudis
Elon Musk

Here’s my input: Elon is a great rocket scientist, but with a vested interest in COTS D, his appointment is unlikely. While some readers mentioned academics and politicians, keep in mind Mr. Augustine’s statement that the panel would seek out “astronauts, engineers, and others capable of evaluating the technical merits” of human space flight. I don’t profess to have the technical smarts to know whether or not Ares or EELV should lift Orion, but having written a book on the birth of the VSE (along with Keith) I still think it makes sense as the next step in human spaceflight-perhaps with a bit more emphasis on Mars over lunar outposts. The original VSE called for use of the moon only as a technology test bed to develop the systems that can take us further into the solar system. Since the departure of Admiral Steidle, that seems to have been deemphasized-a big mistake, in my view. I think my friend Buzz Aldrin is spot on in his missive to keep our “eyes on the prize” and not get locked into another moon race with the moon as the primary destination.

Many readers called for extending the life of the Shuttle and ISS as well. But in today’s constrained environment, many more Shuttle flights much beyond 2011 and they’ll be little left to pay for any new launch vehicle.

Readers, thanks for your comments. Let’s see what happens next!
BTW, now that you've had a say-anybody change their minds?

Full Committee Hearing on NASA's FY2010 Budget Request Announced

Hearing: NASA’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request, House Committee on Science and Technology

Editor's note: Here's a heads up, the House Committee on Science and Technology will conduct a full committee hearing on May 19 between 2-4 p.m. EDT. Mr. Christopher Scolese, Acting Administrator, NASA will be the only witness. The hearing will be webcast.

Liftoff of Atlantis

Editor's note: Looks like everything is a go for launch today. Here's some links to relevant sites if you weren't already aware of them:

• NASA - STS-125 Launch Blog
• NASA Space Shuttle - Latest News
• NASA TV
• Primary NASA Twitter Account
• KSC Twitter Account
• Hubble Servicing Mission

Editor's Update: Four member of the final inspection team are back at Launch Pad 39A to take a second look at some ice that is located on an umbilical on the left side. They are doing their inspection from the zero level of the pad.

Related: Background on Kennedy's ice team

Editor's Update: The issue ice is resolved and everything is a go. They are just looking at some cloud buildup to the north.

Editor's Update: Liftoff, everything looks great so far.

Dennis Wingo - Why Space? Why Now?

The Philosophy of Space, SpaceRef

"With the advent of the Augustine Commission II an opportunity has arisen for a discussion on the philosophy of space. Therefore the purpose of this missive is to look at where many in society see our future going, and to show where space either supports the positive aspects or negates the negative ones. Without this connection, we have no future in space for human spaceflight and the drums of doom will continue to sound over our world."

Kudos to NASA for Using Social Media Services for their E/PO Efforts

NASA Shuttle Commander Tweets, Will Answer Questions from Space, NASA

"NASA astronaut Mark Polansky, commander of the next space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in June, is sharing updates about his training and flight on Twitter."

Editor's note: Lately I've been getting a lot of press releases from NASA related to social media services they are now using or news stories with links to their social media sites. I applaud NASA for using many of these popular social media services for their education and public outreach efforts (E/PO).

For STS-127 commander Mark Polansky will be using the Twitter account http://www.twitter.com/Astro_127 and the YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/reelnasa.

First Briefing on Human Space Flight Review

Editor's note: NASA held the first briefing with Norman Augustine, Chairman of the Human Space Flight Review. Below is the audio teleconference MP3 for you to download.

The independent committee will be 10 members from astronauts, engineers who have operational experience, industry, and academic backgrounds etc. From NASA, Mike Hawes will be the technical director and Philip McAlister will be the executive director.

They will be examining the existing architecture primarily, with an open mind, a "fresh look", and have been asked to provide options and Augustine sees them providing no more than two options. There is one boundary condition to be considered as Augustine puts it;

"We are where we are we, we have programs underway, there are systems of existing and being built, and so that's sort of the starting condition, which doesn't mean you have to abide by them in the future, but you can't ignore as starting position obviously."

The review will be public except when dealing with certain issues as classified matters, personnel issues and competitive sensitive matters. The public will be allowed to comment at some meetings and through a variety of others ways including a web site. This would include anonymous feedback so that people could talk without worries of reprisals.

NASA Teleconference for the Human Space Flight Review with Norman Augustine (MP3 - 32MB)

NASA Running Low on Pu 238 - Production to Restart

Fuel for deep space exploration running low - Dept. of Energy announced will restart program to make plutonium-238, MSNBC via AP

"NASA is running out of nuclear fuel needed for its deep space exploration.

The end of the Cold War's nuclear weapons buildup means that the U.S. space agency does not have enough plutonium for future faraway space probes — except for a few missions already scheduled — according to a new study released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences."

Space Plane Idea for Laug Haul Flights Resurrected by Virgin

Virgin sees space tourism as just the beginning, Reuters

"Long-haul trips could be made in spaceships instead of planes in 20 years' time if Virgin's efforts to commercialize space travel succeed, the president of Virgin Galactic told Reuters in an interview.

Will Whitehorn said Virgin's plans to take tourists into space were just a first stage that could open up a range of possibilities for the company including space science, computer server farms in space and replacing long-haul flights."

Editor's note: It's deja vu again. Here's one oldie but goodie from 1990.

Space Plane Developers Join Together, N.Y. Times

Human Space Flight Plans Blue Ribbon Panel Announced

U.S. Announces Review of Human Space Flight Plans, Office of Science and Technology Policy

"The Obama Administration today announced the launch of an independent review of planned U.S. human space flight activities with the goal of ensuring that the nation is on a vigorous and sustainable path to achieving its boldest aspirations in space. The review will be conducted by a blue-ribbon panel of experts led by Norman Augustine, the former CEO of Lockheed Martin, who served on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology under Democratic and Republican presidents and led the 1990 Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program and the 2007 National Academies commission that produced the landmark report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future, as well as a number of other high-profile national commissions."

Frank's note: A better choice to lead this review could not have been made. It is clear that Ares and its challengers will get a fair hearing-and once and for all clear the air on whether ESAS made the right choices as per ballistic capsules and solid-rocket booster launchers. But still no NASA leader emerges? What does that say about Obama's commitment to civil space?

Keith's note: I agree with Frank. NASA has picked one of its most well-rounded and experienced managers to run this review activity. Mike "gets" the big picture and I am certain that this panel will be encouraged to think that way as well.

Editor's note: Mike Hawes, Associate Administrator of Program Analysis & Evaluation to be NASA interface to Human Space Flight Blue Ribbon Panel. Mike is well respected and should be an asset.

Editor's update: There will be teleconference tomorrow morning Norman Augustine, chairman, Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee.

NASA Sets Teleconference To Discuss Human Space Flight Review, NASA

"NASA will hold a media teleconference on Friday, May 8, at 11:30 a.m. EDT, to discuss the launch of an independent review of NASA's human space flight plans."

Editor's update: Although Acting Administrator Scolese said Constellation would continue to move ahead, the Altair Lunar Lander and Ares V design support contracts are being put on hold until after the review.

Editor's update: The Ares 1-X test flight won't happen until after the review is complete.

NASA FY2010 Budget Day

Editor's note: We will have ongoing budget news throughout the day including the actual budget documents when they are released shortly.

NASA Releases Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request, SpaceRef

FY 2010 Budget Request

- Summary (200 Kb PDF)
- Introduction

- Science Introduction
# Earth
# Planetary Science
# Astrophysics
# Heliophysics

- Aeronautics
- Exploration Systems
- Space Operations
- Education
- Cross Agency Support
- Inspector General and Reference Materials

- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, OMB

NASA rocket study stirs unease at Kennedy Space Center, Orlando Sentinel

"According to administration officials, NASA will announce tomorrow that it will convene a “blue ribbon” panel to examine, among other issues, whether the Ares I rocket and Orion capsule are the best option to send astronauts into orbit by 2015 after the shuttle retires next year. The panel will start as soon as this month and be finished by September."

Planetary Society Says Proposed NASA Budget Could Rejuvenate Space Exploration, Planetary Society

"The Planetary Society gives the Administration's proposed NASA budget a thumbs up for its increased funding for space and Earth science, more Earth observation satellites, firm support for robotic exploration of the solar system and the development of the new Ares/Orion launch vehicles to replace the space shuttle."

Editor's note: I'm a little surprised at the "thumbs up" support and positive spin the Planetary Society is putting on this budget. Without a new administrator in place and a review of the Constellation program set to start shortly, along with the potential consequences of that review, I would not categorize the state of affairs at NASA in such a positive light.

Frank's note: The handwriting is on the wall. While NASA dodged a bullet in FY2010, the agency's future is really at stake. While it could have been worse, there is nothing in here to suggest a long term commitment to either the moon or Mars. Ares? only in our dreams.

Editor's Update: It should be noted that after the Blue Panel completes it human spaceflight review, NASA will provide an updated request for the Exploration activities portion of the budget reflecting the review's results.

Editor's Update: NASA's budget request combined with FY 2009 appropriations provides a $1.8 increase to NASA's programs in FY 2009 and FY 2010. This includes a $630M increase for Exploration, $456M increase for Science and $263M increase for Areronautics.

It should be noted this is increase is in part because of the $1 billion provided to NASA as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Looking forward things don't look so rosy. FY2011 & FY2012 see a small decline in projected budgets while FY2013 sees no growth. Scolese said in reference to future budgets "then recognizing fiscal realities in developing a fiscally responsible budget, it doesn't grow, it doesn't grow as fast as any us would like, but those are the realities that we live with".

Scolese was trying to make the case that the Obama administration is very supportive of NASA and that in fact he had seen the President no less than three times in the last month. However if the Obama administration was so supportive, why not name a new administrator? And if Scolese is doing a good job, why not remove the acting from his title and make it official.

Video of NASA FY 2010 Budget Press Briefing on next page.

Embattled Space Florida President Resigns

Space Florida's Kohler resigns, Orlando Sentinel

"Space Florida's president Steve Kohler has resigned his $175,000-a-year post and is walking the halls of NASA headquarters at Kennedy Space Center saying goodbye."

NASA ESAS Study Appendices Show up on Pay-Per Use Site

NASA ESAS - Free the Appendices, Dennis Wingo Commentary

"The original study was produced and made available to the public but not the set of 12 appendices that had the background technical trades and justifications related to the launch vehicle choices. Apparently this past weekend, a pay for view space interest website is providing these documents (reportedly 11 out of 12 of the appendices) to people that have paid for access to this website."

Editor's note: The ESAS study is in the public domain except for the appendices and now they're on a pay-per use site! Isn't time NASA released the appendices?

- NASA ESAS Final Report: TEXT OF FULL REPORT, NASA

Editor's Update: From Keith Cowing: "I find it shameful that a foreign-owned website should be charging American taxpayers for the right to view documents produced by their own government - documents they have already paid for."

Editor's Update: It has come to our attention that the ESAS Study Appendices are now on WikiLeaks courtesy of NASA Space Flight. It should be noted that NASA Watch does not always release documents that come into our possession because of security, sensitivity or legal issues. However when we feel a document should be released to the public, as this one should, we file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and await the outcome.

Senator Bill Nelson Tweets Shuttle News

Editor's note: It seems Senator Bill Nelson tweeted some relevant news a few hours ago: "White House tells me the president will fly all nine remaining shuttle missions - even if it means flying the shuttle an extra year."

Which makes me wonder, will we find about the next NASA Administrator through Twitter first.

Editor's Update: I should also point out that aside from receiving the news from Twitter, the important thing here is that the door is open for the Shuttle to potentially fly another year. This means money has to be provided to support an extension. Tomorrow's budget and other potential announcements might provide some clues.

A Look at the Ares Projects Plan

NASA Ares Projects Plan - CxP 70057 Revision B - August 12, 2008, NASA

Editor's note: A day before the NASA budget is to be released we are pleased to provide you with a current Ares Projects Plan. Here's a little excerpt:

"The Ares I is a two-stage series-burn launch vehicle with interfaces for the Orion payload and the ground systems at the launch site (see Figure 1-7). The first stage has a RSRMV with thrust vector control (TVC) and a separation system. The motor utilizes polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN) propellant. The upper (second) stage is a self-supporting cylindrical system that houses the LOX and LH2 tanks that feed propellant to the J-2X engine, along with the vehicle’s avionics, roll control, and the upper stage thrust vector system. Organizationally, the Ares I hardware elements consist of the First Stage (FS) Element, Upper Stage (US) Element, and Upper Stage Engine (USE) Element. These elements are further discussed in Section 1.6, Technical Summary.

The Ares I can lift an estimated 25.5 metric tons (mT) (56,200 pounds (lb)) to LEO at a –30×100 nautical mile (nmi) 28.5-degree orbit and 23.7 mT (51,500 lb) at a 51.6-degree orbit (see Figure 1-8). The Ares I is estimated to be as much as 10 times safer than the Space Shuttle, primarily due to its in-line design and launch abort system (LAS) for crew escape. The Ares I system is further described in CxP 72070, Ares I Integrated Vehicle Design Definition Document (IVDDD)."

NASA Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Briefing Thursday

NASA Announces Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Briefings for Press, NASA

"NASA Acting Administrator Chris Scolese will brief the news media about the agency's fiscal year 2010 budget at 2:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 7. The news conference will take place in NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium, located at 300 E St. S.W., in Washington.

Scolese will be joined by NASA Comptroller David Schurr. The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's Internet homepage. Reporters at NASA Headquarters will be able to ask questions."

Editor's note: We will have updates throughout the day.

Moon Outpost or Bust

Return to the Moon: Outpost or sorties?, Smithsonian Air & Space Moon Blog

"Apparently, the view of NASA’s acting Administrator is that the Moon is a box to be checked-off on the way to Mars. Hence, we don’t really need to establish an outpost because we’re just satisfying a political requirement in implementing policy, not conducting a technical experiment to use the Moon to prepare for journeys beyond."

Editor's note: Dr. Paul Spudis makes the argument that a Moon Outpost makes more sense than sorties and that NASA really wants to bypass the Moon for Mars.

At current and foreseeable budget levels the cost of a Moon Outpost would be substantial and have significant detrimental effect on NASA's other programs. Recognizing that fact and wanting to go instead perhaps to near Earth asteroids and Mars, does last weeks testimony of NASA Acting Administrator Chris Scolese really in fact signal a change in direction? A direction that might exclude building a Moon Outpost?

Should NASA focus on exploration beyond the Moon and perhaps instead enter a public-private partnership for a Moon Outpost? Or perhaps NASA should enter into a partnership with other countries such as Japan, India, Russia and the EU? What do you think?

Editor's Update: Let's add this to the equation. The direct folks might be happy.

Is Ares I adequate? Obama administration to order a new study, Orlando Sentinel

"In a major turnaround, the White House is expected this week to order a review of the fledgling spacecraft program that NASA had hoped would one day replace the space shuttle, the Orlando Sentinel has learned."

"Now Direct proponents are hopeful that their rocket design will get a second look by the new panel created to examine Ares and all viable alternatives."

Infighting and Space Florida Controversy Mark Legistative Session

Space industry gets virtually nothing from Florida Legislature, Orlando Sentinel

"For the first time in recent memory, backers of Florida's space industry walked away from the two-month legislative session utterly empty-handed.

With NASA already making the first of at least 3,500 layoffs — and as many as 10,000 — at Kennedy Space Center, the Legislature failed to pass a single space-related bill by the end of regular business last week. And lawmakers devoted no new money to averting the economic calamity that will strike when the space shuttle is mothballed."

Editor's note: Ok, the economy is bad and unemployment in Florida has reached 9.5%, but one wonders why Space Florida couldn't achieve much of anything other than being mired in controversy.

NASA Watch Discussion Forums?

Editor's note: Ok, I'm curious to know from you the readers how you would vote on the following question.

Should NASA Watch enable discussion forums?

You can vote here: http://twtpoll.com/rg96lo

Note: This question does not mean forums are coming to NASA Watch any time soon.

Marc Boucher

Dr. Eilene Galloway Passes Away Just Shy of her 103rd Birthday

Dr. Eilene Galloway The Grand Matriarch of Space Law Passes Away

"Eilene Marie Galloway, one of the world’s leading experts in space law and policy, died at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 102. Dr. Galloway resided in the District of Columbia for 78 years."

"October 4, 1957, when the first artificial satellite began orbiting the Earth, nations reacted with fear of atomic bombs launched by rockets. Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, Chairman of the Preparedness Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, asked Eilene Galloway, National Defense Analyst of the Library of Congress, to serve as Staff Consultant for hearings on U.S. preparedness in space. When it became clear that the problem involved scientists and engineers in more than military aspects, the Senate organized the Special Committee on Space and Astronautics, which Eilene served by formulating questions for witnesses and analyzing testimony."

NASA Leadership Vacuum

LAMPSON/WELDON: Commitment is needed - Stop-start plots a trajectory of failure, Washington Times

"First, a skilled work force is displaced. Money is wasted. Overall program success decreases. Furthermore, starts and stops harm the NASA-industry partnerships necessary to assure America's leadership not only in exploring space, but also keeping a close eye on our home planet - Earth."

On Cusp of Big Transition, NASA Lacks Permanent Leader, New York Times

"Since Michael D. Griffin stepped down as NASA administrator in January, Christopher Scolese, a longtime NASA official, has served in the role on an interim basis. A new NASA boss, however, will arrive at the agency too late to take part in several important decisions. Mr. Scolese and other NASA officials are in the middle of putting together the agency’s 2010 budget, which may be unveiled as soon as this week."

Passing: Joseph S. Algranti, Former Chief of Aircraft Operations, JSC

From a NASA Watch reader:

"It is with the deepest sense of sadness that I inform the NASA community of the passing of Joseph S. Algranti. As the Chief of Aircraft Operations at the Johnson Space Center during the Apollo Program, "Mr A" as we all called him directed the Lunar Lander Training Vehicle (LLTV) program to successfully train the Apollo Lunar Crews to land on the Lunar surface. During its development stages, Joe had to eject from an LLTV only seconds before it crashed. He was an undaunted pilot, leader, and friend. The list of aircraft that he was qualified to command was impressive. I count it an honor to have worked for this man who dedicated his career to the success of NASA. He will be missed by all of us."

Joseph Samuel Algranti, LaGrange, GA, Daily News:

"Joseph Samuel Algranti, 84, of LaGrange, died Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at Hospice LaGrange.

Arrangements are by Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 1010 Mooty Bridge Road. (706) 884-8636. www.striffler-hamby.com"

NASA Workforce Issues - Continued

Shaping the NASA workforce for 2020, Open NASA

"I thought it would be particularly timely, considering Nick Skytland’s recent posting of an internal NASA email about recent NASA Strategic Management Council decision to target-hire younger workers, and, the recent posts on NASAWatch about the state of the Federal workforce. Many of the comments that followed on that website requested some data – data about NASA and the contractor workforce. To that end there are two attachments to read in support of this posting. "

Editor's note: Richard Leshner at NASA headquarters is continuing the discussion about NASA workforce issues with a new post at Open NASA where he answers some basic questions. Below is some useful reference material for you including the PDF files Richard references.

- NASA Workforce Issues - The Crisis is Here, NASA Watch

- Rebalancing NASA’s Workforce, Open NASA

- The State of the Next Generation of Explorers (PDF) NASA

- The Next Gen Space Workforce - NASA Strategic Management Council (PDF), NASA

- Launching the 21st Century American Aerospace Workforce, NASA Watch

- Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration, NASA

Layoffs Begin, Ames Offers Buyouts

Atlantis cleared for launch; shuttle layoffs to begin, Spaceflight Now

"With retirement of the space shuttle program expected next year after just nine more flights, NASA's managers Thursday announced the first major round of job losses, saying 160 contractor workers would face layoffs Friday, the first of up to 900 jobs that will be lost between now and the end of the fiscal year."

NASA Ames offers buyouts to hundreds of employees, Mountain View Voice

"A source at NASA Ames has emailed the Voice a list of over 400 employees who have been offered buyouts worth up to $25,000 in exchange for leaving their jobs."

Editor's note: We've received the following internal memo and PDF. The memo is similar to the one circulated in November last year. The PDF lists 454 eligible positions for buyout or early out.

NASA Ames Internal Memo: FY2009 Buyout/Early Out Opportunity Now Open, NASA Ames

NASA Ames List of Eligible Positions for buyout/early out (PDF)

NASA ARC Internal Memo: FY2009 Buyout/Early Out Opportunity Now Open, November 9, 2008

Space Florida Troubles Continue

Space Florida docked (for now) $2 million for lobbying "misuse", Orlando Sentinel

"An upset Sen. Mike Fasano on Wednesday announced he wanted to cut the $4 million state appropriation for Space Florida in half after learning that the space economic development agency had spent nearly $300,000 on contract lobbying last year."

Dems: Space Florida a symbol of Gov. Crist's "House of Cards", Orlando Sentinel

Committee slashed Space Florida budget in half, Herald Tribune

"The agency spent nearly $300,000 of its $4 million state allocation last year on lobbyists, including $195,000 to a Pennsylvania firm with ties to Space Florida's president."

Previous:
- Space Florida Is Under Increased Scrutiny (Updated)

- Small Wonder Space Florida Is Having Problems

Editor's Update: Looks like they dodged another bullet.

Space Florida keeps its full $3.8M budget, Orlando Sentinel

"Sen. Mike Fasano backed off his threat to strip Space Florida of nearly half its $3.8million state appropriation Thursday, saying he thought the agency understood his opposition to the nearly $300,000 it spent on lobbyists last year."

Mission to Repair Hubble is GO!

NASA Gives 'Go' for Space Shuttle Launch on May 11, NASA

"NASA managers completed a review Thursday of space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight and selected an official launch date for the STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Commander Scott Altman and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 2:01 p.m. EDT, May 11, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida."

NASA Response to Swine Flu

Editor's note: The World Health Organization has increased its alert level to 5 which suggests that the Swine Flu outbreak is very serious. At this point it sees no reason to raise it to the next level which is a pandemic. On April 27 NASA wisely released a NASA Occupational Health - Health Alert. Today NASA Ames director released a statement on the Ames Pandemic Plan in part based on Governor Schwarzenegger declaring a state of emergency for California.

This weekend however it appears that JPL still plans on holding its open house which traditionally attracts a large audience including bus loads of tourists from Mexico. Although most cases of the Swine Flu have been mild is it still wise to go ahead with this popular event?

Editor's Update: From the Huntsville Times: Marshall Space Flight Center closes child center; employees allowed liberal leave Thursday and Friday

"Marshall Space Flight Center will close its child care center over the next two days, and employees are encouraged to take liberal leave today and Friday because of area school closings due to concerns over swine flu."

Press Conference Time Changed and Twitter Updates

STS-125 Readiness Review Under Way at Kennedy, NASA

The Flight Readiness Review for space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope began at 8 a.m. EDT this morning at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Managers will hold a news conference on NASA TV following the review to announce the official launch date. The briefing is expected to begin no earlier than 5 p.m. EDT.

Editor's note: The press conference has been moved up to 5 p.m. EDT from the earlier announced 6 p.m.

As well for the first time the review meeting is Twittering live status updates periodically on NASA's News Twitter feed during the meeting. They just broke for lunch but will resume afterward and start off with the Orbiter Project's section.

A Shift in Policy? Moon Base Axed?

NASA may abandon plans for moon base, New Scientist

"NASA will probably not build an outpost on the moon as originally planned, the agency's acting administrator, Chris Scolese, told lawmakers on Wednesday. His comments also hinted that the agency is open to putting more emphasis on human missions to destinations like Mars or a near-Earth asteroid."

"Under Scolese's predecessor, Mike Griffin, the agency held firm to its moon base plans. But the comments by Scolese, who will lead NASA until President Barack Obama nominates the next administrator, suggest a shift in the agency's direction. He spoke to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the House Committee on Appropriations."

Editor's note: According to the New Scientist both Chris Scolese and Doug Cooke were vague on certain answers. If a shift is coming we'll have more details on May 6 when the 2010 budget is due.

Editor's Update: While I don't have Scolese's testimony at this time Rob Coppinger was Twittering the testimony. Here are the tweets with respect to a question on what impact the FY2010 budget would have on moon planning:

"- We are still looking at what we mean by Moon, is that an outpost that is very expensive or is it an Apollo

- Return to the Moon could just be extended sorties

- Scolese says return to Moon could be less than an outpost"

And here is the opening statement by Chairmain Alan B. Mollohan

- Opening Statement of Chairman Alan B. Mollohan

Editor's Update: Here's the testimony by Chris Scolese:

- Chris Scolese Written Statement
- Chris Scolese Oral Statement

Constellation versus everything else in NASA, O. Glenn Smith for the Orlando Sentinel

"It is time to reconsider whether we want to go ahead with the Constellation program to place a base on the moon. Many of us in the space community would be eager to recreate the thrill of Apollo. However, from the public's standpoint, going back to the moon in 2020 would not invoke the same sense of awe and inspiration it did 51 years earlier when it was a seemingly impossible task."

Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project Gets Honor

House of Representatives Honors Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project, U.S. House of Representatives

"Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to commend the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project and all those who have contributed their time and effort to ensure that historic images and vital data from the Lunar Orbiter missions of the 1960s are not lost to future generations."

"Fortunately, Evans’ efforts caught the attention of Dennis Wingo and Keith Cowing, both of whom have been focused on space exploration for many years. They arranged to move the tapes and drives to NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. Ames’ director, Peter Worden, arranged for them to store the equipment in an old abandoned McDonalds, which they jokingly referred to as “McMoon’s.” Wingo and Cowing began working with Ken Zin, an army veteran, to get the drives up and running."

Resolution is Agreed on But it's Only a Resolution

Resolution would end shuttle deadline, Florida Today

"Supporters say the resolution -- which is expected to be up for a final vote this week -- could help avert the type of schedule pressure that led to the 1986 Challenger and 2003 Columbia accidents."

NASA Shuttle Retirement Postponed ... Maybe, Washington Post

"There is wide concern that a hard end date could jeopardize the safety of the eight remaining Shuttle missions and the thousands of government and private-sector jobs tied to NASA. Without FY 2011 funding, NASA would be unable to continue any missions that did not launch in time."

On NASA Watch yesterday:

Congresswoman Kosmas Wins Key Battle to Eliminate Hard Deadline for Shuttle Retirement

"Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) announced that the House and Senate conference agreement on the budget resolution (S.Con.Res 13) reflects her request to include a provision that removes the hard deadline for Shuttle retirement. The final budget resolution provides an additional $2.5 billion in fiscal year 2011 for the Shuttle program, giving NASA the flexibility it needs to fly the current manifest beyond 2010."

Editor's Update: One hurdle cleared for those seeking to prolong the life of the shuttle. The Senate vote is next week.

The House lawmakers in Washington vote to extend NASA space shuttle program, The Huntsville Time

"The budget resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives today, it included money to extend the shuttle, and is expected to be taken up by the U.S. Senate this week."

Another Administrator Candidate Says No Thanks

Lyles takes name out of running for NASA's top job, Dayton Daily News

"Retired Air Force Gen. Lester L. Lyles said Wednesday, April 29, that the White House indicated he was the top candidate to become the next NASA administrator, but that he has taken his name out of consideration."

Editor's note: Since the White House seems incapable of actually finding a nominee perhaps it's time the public submitted a lit of top 5 candidates that are worthy and have not already said no or otherwise been politically torpedoed.

A Big First Step for COTS-D Today

COTS D - Commercial Human Spaceflight to get at least $80m, Orlando Sentinel

"NASA and the White House have agreed for the first time to release money to the human spaceflight option in its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS program.

Under an agreement hammered out with the White House, NASA announced today on Capitol Hill that it will provide $150 million of the $400 million given to NASA under President Barack Obama's stimulus plan to the COTS program."

Orion Slims Down

NASA slashes Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle crew size to four, The Huntsville Times

"NASA is slimming down its Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle by removing two seats and cutting its crew size from six people to four, a space agency spokesman confirmed late Monday."

"NASA made the crew size change "in order to improve schedule and cost confidence by minimizing multiple configurations under simultaneous development during the Program's early phases," Hautaluoma said. "While a four-person crew would save some mass, the issue of mass savings was not a major factor in the decision-making process. "

Editor's note: Weight was not a major factor, hmmm.

Editor's note (Keith Cowing): It is rather sad that Mike Griffin's grand design for Ares I can no longer meet even its most basic, high level requirements. So much for "Apollo on Steroids". What's next - a two-person lunar lander? If weight was "not an issue" then I suppose that Steve "the next von Braun" Cook won't need to be using any of the saved weight to solve Ares 1 upmass issues - since the rocket is perfectly designed as-is --- right?

Who's the boss? For now Christopher Scolese, Sort of

Who’s the boss?, Obama should speed up nomination of new NASA chief, Houston Chronicle

"A congressional mandate to delay action on the shuttle’s future expires on Thursday. At that point NASA officials will be free to start the phase-out of the fleet if they so choose. Presidential science adviser John Holdren has said, however, that no decisions will be made on the fate of the shuttle and the development of a replacement vehicle until a new administrator is in place."

Editor's note: So who's running NASA? Is it acting Administrator Christopher Scolese or Presidential science adviser John Holdren? With NASA set to to resume shutting down the Shuttle program next month this appears to go contrary to what Holdren is saying. I have an idea, why not nominate an administrator??

Here's a thought, by all accounts Christopher Scolese is doing a good job, heck why not take away the acting title? After all, that would be better than the current situation.

For a different viewpoint on the need for appointing a new administrator have a look at Miles O'Brien new blog posting "First Dog trumps Final Frontier?"

"There is a lot of hand-wringing in the space community these days about the Obama Administration’s inability to fill the corner office on the ninth floor at NASA headquarters.

The incredulous refrain among space cadets: “they picked the First Dog before they selected a NASA administrator!?”

Editor's Update: This just in: Congresswoman Kosmas Wins Key Battle to Eliminate Hard Deadline for Shuttle Retirement

"Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) announced that the House and Senate conference agreement on the budget resolution (S.Con.Res 13) reflects her request to include a provision that removes the hard deadline for Shuttle retirement. The final budget resolution provides an additional $2.5 billion in fiscal year 2011 for the Shuttle program, giving NASA the flexibility it needs to fly the current manifest beyond 2010."

"The conferees agreed with Kosmas and the conference agreement explanatory statement contains the following language explicitly providing funding for the Shuttle program beyond 2010:"

“The conference agreement recognizes the scientific and technological contributions of our nation's manned and unmanned space program and the strategic importance of uninterrupted human access to space, and supports efforts to reduce the impending gap in US human spaceflight. The conference agreement matches the President's request for NASA in 2010 (while acknowledging that an additional $400 million was appropriated for NASA exploration in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and provides $2.5 billion above the President's request in 2011. The additional funding is provided in 2011 in anticipation that the funding is needed for the remaining eight space shuttle missions to safely fly and to complete the construction and equipping of the international space station.”

We'll see how this plays out and if this passes.

NASA Government and Commecial Inventions Announced

Ames Wins 2008 NASA Government Invention of the Year Award, NASA

"NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., has been named the recipient of the 2008 NASA Government Invention of the Year Award. Ames won the award for developing a High Speed Three-Dimensional Laser scanner with Real Time Processing."

NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton Roads, Va., won the 2008 NASA Commercial Invention of the Year Award for developing Composition of and Method for Making High Performance Resins for Infusion and Transfer Molding Processes. "

Reminder: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics – Hearing

Keeping the Space Environment Safe for Civil and Commercial Users

Tuesday, April 28
2:00 p.m. – 4:00p.m.

Editor's Update: I got the time wrong, it's still at 2:00 p.m.

Witnesses:

- Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, Commander, 14th Air Force, Air Force Space Command, and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, U.S. Strategic Command

- Mr. Nicholas Johnson, Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

- Mr. Richard DalBello, Vice President of Government Relations, Intelsat General Corporation

- Dr. Scott Pace, Director of the Space Policy Institute, George Washington University

2318 Rayburn House Office Building (WEBCAST)

NASA Swine Flu Health Alert

NASA Occupational Health - Health Alert - April 27, 2009, NASA

"Within the past week human cases of a potentially new strain of the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in the U.S. and Mexico. As of April 27, there are now confirmed cases in five states (California, Texas, Kansas, Ohio, New York). Internationally, human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in Mexico and Spain, with testing of ill travelers from Mexico being conducted in New Zealand. The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling this “a public health emergency of international concern.” The current phase of the WHO Global Influenza Preparedness is Level 3 Pandemic alert: a new influenza virus subtype is causing disease in humans, but is not yet spreading efficiently and sustainably among humans. The WHO Emergency Committee is reportedly scheduled to meet later today to consider raising the pandemic alert level."

Obama R&D Speech Provides Very Little for NASA

Obama pledges 3 percent of GDP for research, Infoworld

"Obama repeatedly used the early U.S. space program as a framing device for his remarks, calling that period "the high water mark" of government investment in research and development."

"It sparked a wide range of scientific innovation with benefits that went far beyond the historic Apollo missions, such as advancements in building materials and fire-resistant fabrics, he said."

Editor's note: The speech which includes $150 billion in R&D spending over 10 years did little for NASA other than offer some funding for climate change. Some highlights:

"...it supports efforts at NASA, recommended as a priority by the National Research Council, to develop new space-based capabilities to help us better understand our changing climate."

- He announced a President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
- The new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy, or ARPA-E modeled after DARPA
- Triples the number of National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships.
- Also announced was an initiative to " inspire tens of thousands of American students to pursue careers in science, engineering and entrepreneurship related to clean energy."
- There was some positive efforts for of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs

- Comments and transcript
- The Speech (MP3)

Editor's Update: Statement by Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon, Chairman Gordon Comments on President’s Address Highlighting the Importance of Science

"Another important subject the president highlighted was the work being done at NASA in helping us to understand climate change. We cannot make a commitment to addressing climate change without being committed to NASA. NASA’s work, along with the efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will be key to our efforts to monitor and understand the potential impacts of climate change, including shifting weather patterns, melting glaciers and ice sheets, sea level rise, and other phenomena."

Space Traffic Management Redux

Space University Report Offers Ways To Avoid Further Satellite Collisions, International Space University

"Prepared by a team of 30 students from 17 countries during ISU’s Space Studies Program in summer 2007, the study took a hard look at the status of traffic management in earth orbit and focused on space traffic rules that would reduce the probability of debris causing collisions."

Editor's note: The 90 page report which might not have been widely viewed should be seen by a wider audience.

- Full Report

Related: Debris Precautions Set For Hubble Mission, Aviation Week

"The space shuttle Atlantis will drop to a lower orbit as soon as it releases the Hubble Space Telescope to reduce the risk from orbital debris on the upcoming mission to service the orbiting observatory."

Planetary Defense Conference Updates

Editor's note: I thought I would pass on that A.C. Charania, President of SpaceWorks Commercial is blogging the three day 2009 IAA Planetary Defense Conference from Granada, Spain. Updates seem to be comprehensive.

One Tenth Scale Saturn V to Fly

One man's quest to honor America's Saturn V rocket, Rocketry Planet

"On April 25, 2009, history will be made. At Higgs Farm in Price, Maryland, Steve Eves will enter the history books as the person who flew the largest model rocket in history. The rocket will weigh over 1,600 pounds, it will stand over 36 feet tall and it will be powered by a massive array of nine motors: eight 13,000ns N-Class motors and a 77,000ns P-Class motor. The estimated altitude of this single stage effort will be between 3,000 and 4,000 feet and the project will be recovered at apogee."

Editor's note: This is a great story and well worth read. Steve Eves has accomplished something great here and for the record books. If someone gets the video of the launch please let me know and I'll post it for everyone to see.

Editor's Update: I've added a YouTube video from Steve Eves explaining what they are going to do and a link to some blog posts and images.

Editor's Update: Steve Eves has successfully launched and recovered his Saturn V replica. We have several videos for you to watch, this was really impressive, well done Steve! At launch you can see the rocket lift-off in Steve's glasses in the image to the left.

- Steve Eves' Saturn V on Dick's Rocket Dungeon

As well there are pictures here.

Everest OnOrbit Update - Scott and Keith

As some of you may know NASA Watch founder and editor Keith Cowing is trekking to Everest base camp in support of an education and public outreach effort for former astronaut Scott Parazynski's attempted ascent of Mt. Everest. So I thought I would bring to your attention some of the creative writing and stunning images Keith has been posting to Everest OnOrbit.

Keith is resting as I write this as it's late in the evening in Nepal but he should have reached Gorak Shep today, a frozen lake bed covered with sand that sits at 5,164m or approximately 17,000 vertical feet and is the final acclimatization stop before he reaches Everest base camp on Monday.

International Mountain Guides meanwhile is reporting that Scott Parazynski is one of six people who have now setup at Everest Camp 3.

You can follow Scott's progress and Keith's adventure at Everest OnOrbit.

Here's Keith's updates, I think you'll like them.

- April 13: Heading to Everest, Waking Up Over Iraq
- April 14: On The Road to Kathmandu
- April 16: Goodbye Kathmandu, Hello Khumbu
- April 17: Climbing Up To Namche
- April 18: Awestruck in Namche
- April 19: Messages Across Time
- April 20: Webcasting from a Foggy Buddhist Monastery
- April 22: Utterly Improbable Terrain and Stealth Yaks in the Darkness

Driving the Northwest Passage - A Success

Mars Institute "Moon-1" Humvee Rover Successfully Completes 500 km Drive Along Northwest Passage, Mars Institute

"An international team of researchers led by Mars Institute scientist Dr. Pascal Lee successfully reached the arctic community of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada on Friday, 17 April, after an 8-day, 500 km vehicular trek on sea-ice along the fabled Northwest Passage. The team of five departed Kugluktuk, Nunavut on 10 April aboard the Mars Institute’s Moon-1 Humvee Rover and two snowmobiles, and logged a record-breaking total of 494 km, the longest distance ever driven on sea-ice in a road vehicle."

- Expedition Images
- Google Earth KMZ file of Trek

Editor's note: Ok, full disclosure, one of the other hats I wear is that of President/CEO of the Mars Institute. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the expedition and what an adventure it has been.

Marc Boucher

Another Long NOMAD Outage

NOMAD OutReach - Weekend E-mail Outage (45 Hours), NASA

"Facilities maintenance is necessary to support mission critical systems at Marshall Space Flight Center to avoid placing NASA’s critical Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) systems at an unacceptable risk. During the 45-hour maintenance period, e-mail will not be available."

Is COTS-D Gaining Ground?

Editor's note: NASA issued the following procurement notice on April 16th which was then modified yesterday. What should we make of this in that the number of minimum seats has been dropped from 18 to 3? Does this have anything to do with PlanetSpace losing their protest the day before and COTS-D moving forward?

Procurement of Crew Transportation and Rescue Services from Roscosmos, Federal Business Opportunities

NASA/JSC intends to contract with Roscosmos for these services on a sole source basis for a minimum of 18 Soyuz seats up to a maximum of 24 seats beginning in the Spring of 2012.The maximum number of 24 seats may be procured using multiple modifications in incrementsof 3 seats, to complete the entire effort.

Modification:

"The purpose of this modification is to revise the minimum number of Soyuz seats which maybe procured from a minimum of 18 seats to a minimum of 3 seats. NASA is still accepting capability statements from interested organizations documenting their ability to provide Crew Transportation and Rescue Services requirements identified in the synopsis"

Asteroid Threat Conference Underway

Scientists, Astronauts, and Lawyers Combat Asteroid Threat, Science

"An asteroid is hurtling towards Earth. Should we try to nudge it off course, or blow it to smithereens? Should we evacuate the projected impact zone? Who will make these decisions—and who will pay for the countermeasures?

Scientists, astronauts, and space law specialists are gathering today and tomorrow at the first ever conference to hash out a legal framework for guiding nations on how to deal with an impending cosmic collision. The meeting at University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln is taking up the gauntlet laid down by a report last September from the Association of Space Explorers calling for a global response to the threat of Near Earth Objects, also known as NEO's."

Experts to Dicsuss Dangers, Legal Issues of Thwarting Threatening Near-Earth Objects, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

"Near-Earth Objects are an increasing area of concern among the world’s space scientists. Experts believe that over the next 15 years, advances in technology will lead to the detection of more than 500,000 NEOs -- and of those, several dozen will likely pose an uncomfortably high risk of striking Earth and inflicting local or regional damage.

Taking part in the two-day program are members of a multinational committee who made recommendations last fall to the United Nations on establishing global framework to respond to NEO threats. That committee was commissioned by the ASE and chaired by former Apollo astronaut, Rusty Schweickart."

NASA Faces Tough Choices & Needs an Administrator Now

NASA faces deadline for tough decisions on shuttle, Forbes via AP

"NASA is facing a critical deadline to make its biggest decision in a generation: whether to go forward with plans to retire the space shuttle fleet and replace it with a new mode of space travel. But the agency still has no chief to make the $230 billion call."

NASA seems so far off the White House radar, said one presidential expert, that it might as well be on Pluto.

"I think that tells you something," said New York University public policy professor Paul Light, an expert in presidential appointments. "The lack of announced appointees is a sign of its priority within the administration."

Editor's note: Ouch, hmmm makes you wonder about the Administrations' commitment to NASA.

Editor's Update: And the news gets better.

NASA moon landing could be delayed, Orlando Sentinel

"NASA's plans to return astronauts to the moon are quietly being revised and are in danger of slipping past 2020.

In meetings over the last few weeks at Kennedy Space Center, agency managers have told employees and contractors that they are delaying the first lunar launch of the Ares V rocket -- a cargo hauler slated to be the most powerful rocket ever built -- by two years."

Frank's note: How much worse does it have to get before we as a community of spacers come together to call for support for human spaceflight from our political "leaders"? Go to the President's web site at whitehouse.gov and urge him to put his money-and his mouth-behind the civil space program-before there isn't anything left to rally around. The hour is grave-isn't it a time for a call to action from us all?

Editor's Update: The lack of a NASA administrator now causing real harm, Houston Chronicle

"UPDATE: Here are some comments made this morning by deputy space shuttle program manager LeRoy Cain on the effects of uncertainty on the space shuttle:

In other words, April 30 looms as a very significant date."

Weight Forcing NASA To Shrink Orion Crew, Aviation Week

"NASA engineers are "on the verge" of pulling two crew seats from their design for the Orion crew exploration vehicle, at least at first, to save weight.

That would mean that when NASA regains the ability to fly astronauts to orbit in the post-shuttle era, it will start with a crew of four instead of six. Four seats have been the baseline for the version of Orion that would take astronauts back to the Moon, but the initial operational capability (IOC) to deliver crew to the International Space Station (ISS) currently calls for a six-seat version."

NOAA GOES-R Delay Creates Potential Gap in Satellite Coverage

GAO Says Costs and Schedule for NOAA's New Geostationary Weather Satellite Program Present Ongoing Risks, House Science and Technology Committee

"Recent events have raised doubts about the feasibility of the GOES-R launch date. Specifically, after the spacecraft segment Page 6 GAO-09-596T Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites contract was awarded and then protested in December 2008, NASA decided to re-evaluate the proposals. NASA now plans to re-award the contract in May 2009. Because NASA has agreed to a 72-month development cycle for the spacecraft segment (from contract award date to launch readiness), the launch date of GOES-R will likely be delayed until at least May 2015."

"Any delays in the launch of the first GOES-R satellite run counter to NOAA’s policy of having a backup satellite in orbit at all times and could lead to gaps in satellite coverage. This policy proved useful in December 2008, when NOAA lost communication with GOES-12, but was able to use GOES-13 as an operational satellite until communication was restored. However, beginning in November 2014, NOAA expects to have two operational satellites in orbit (O and P), but it will not have a backup satellite in place until GOES-R is launched."

GAO Report (PDF)

Shuttle Atlantis May Launch a Day Early

Mission to Save Hubble Could Launch a Day Early, Space.com

"NASA is hoping to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on the last service call to the Hubble Space Telescope a day earlier than planned to avoid schedule conflicts near its Florida launch site, agency officials said Thursday.

The long-delayed Hubble repair flight, which mission managers have now found to be less risky than initially thought, would lift off on May 11 at 2:01 p.m. EDT (1801 GMT) if the earlier target is approved next week."

NASA Workforce Issues - The Crisis is Here

Public Service in the 21st Century: An Examination of the State of the Federal Workforce,
Testimony of Gregory J. Junemann, President, IFPTE (PDF)

"The consequences for NASA’s long-term health are dire; NASA must reverse course in President Obama’s first term or key intellectual capabilities will be lost and not replaced."

"Between 1993 and 2009, despite the fact that NASA’s overall budget and responsibilities increased, NASA lost 6,787 civil-servant employees under the age of 40, who were never replaced (see purple oval for missing cohort). Without a course correction, the demographic distribution will become even more skewed with the proportion of NASA employees who are 50-59 increasing to nearly half the entire civil-service workforce by the 2014."

Editor's note: With an aging workforce not being replaced, an Obama administration that doesn't seem to think NASA is worth much attention these days, Constellation over budget and behind schedule, the news could hardly be worse.

"IFPTE urges the sub-committee to consider:

- Calling for Appropriators to provide NASA, and America’s other critical federal laboratories, with increased funding for longer-term innovative R&D programs, including new funds to enable a vigorous strategic hiring program to recruit the best and the brightest new talent, in order to maintain America’s future leadership in aerospace, science, and technology R&D and inspire young Americans to pursue an education and then a career in STEM-related areas."

NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino Breaks 100,000 Follower Mark on Twitter

Editor's note:

For those of you who didn't know, Astronaut Mike Massimino, a mission specialist for STS-125 to the service the Hubble Telescope, has been Twittering his personal accounts of training at http://twitter.com/Astro_Mike. Mike also hopes to Twitter from space.

Mike has now broken the 100,000 follower mark and at last check was at 107,152 followers. That ranks him at number 110 with the most followers on Twitter. Getting that many followers is another fantastic PR coup for NASA. And for those of you who may think Twitter is just a fad I would point out that NASA Watch in the last month received 6% of it's referral traffic from Twitter and that this number is growing each month. It's a social medium worth paying attention to.

Here's a list of some of the NASA Watch, SpaceRef Twitter accounts you can follow:

NASAWatch
Keith Cowing, Editor
Marc Boucher, Editor
SpaceRef
Space Weather
Space Shuttle and Space Station
Mars Today
Moon Today
Astrobiology
Space Commerce
Space Education
SPOTScott

If you would like a comprehensive list of Space Twitterers you should visit the OnOrbit ColabSpace SpaceMeme list. If you would like to be added to the list then just follow SpaceMeme on Twitter and you'll be added to the list.

Some NASA Earth Day Goodness

Updated Web feature Shows How NASA Technologies Improve Lives, NASA

"NASA has launched an expanded version of an interactive online program that allows users to discover some of the many NASA technologies that positively impact everyday life. The interactive "NASA at Home" and "NASA City" sites are enhanced with many new features, including green-related information to coincide with Earth Day 2009."

Editor's note: The NASA City site is well worth a look especially for its education usefulness.

ITAR - Red Tape in the Final Frontier

Entrepreneurial Space and Export Control: Red Tape in the Final Frontier, AIAA

"A half-day event exploring the impact of America’s export control regime on the job growth, competitiveness, and capabilities of domestic entrepreneurial space entities."

"Opening Keynote Spearker: The Honorable C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, Chair, U.S. House of Representatives’ Permanent Select Subcommittee on Technology and Tactical Intelligence."

Download meeting flyer with RSVP information( PDF)

Editor's Update: It would seem there is some positive movement on the ITAR issue.

Freedom to fly - A small company wins an important legal challenge to America’s space-technology export-control regime The Economist

"In December 2007 one of those mammals, a company called Bigelow Aerospace, filed the first legal challenge to America’s rules for exporting space technology. It disputed the government’s claim that foreign passengers travelling on a spaceship or space station were involved in a transfer of technology. The outcome suggests that there may be a chink in the armour of the export-controls regime."

Reaction from Mike Gold, Director, Washington Office, Bigelow Aerospace

"Entrepreneurial firms aren’t just going to create new technologies, but they will also transform the legal and regulatory world around them. We require a paradigm shift both technologically and from a policy perspective. At Bigelow Aerospace, we’re not just about creating better technology, but creating a better future. When humanity goes to the stars we should leave our petty bigotries, biases and disputes aside, and move forward in peace for all of humanity. This ruling brings us one small step closer to achieving that dream."

Editor's Update: More reaction from the community.

Breaking news on US export control, Natasha Loder (Economist Writer)

"George Nield, associate administrator for commercial space transportation within the Federal Aviation Authority "We have not yet seen the commodity jurisdiction ruling, nor was the FAA involved in the review, so I really can't be very specific about what it says or what it will mean for Bigelow Aerospace.

However, to the extent that the U.S. government may now be willing to revise some of its export control restrictions to enable U.S. firms to be more competitive in their efforts to sell aerospace products and services globally, that would be very good news indeed"

Editor's Update: Interview with Mike Gold, Bigelow Aerospace, Economist (Audio)

"Tim Hughes, chief counsel of SpaceX"

"In quick response to your questions: At this point, it's really not clear whether this represents a significant shift in policy that foretells a shift on other parts of ITAR. However, the Bigelow CJ request approval is exciting because it appears to represent a common-sense approach to ITAR whereby hardware and design details remain ITAR-protected, but general engagement by would-be international participants will not be subject to burdensome ITAR-related filings, agreements, and monitoring plans."

Today's Video - Profiling the Ares Launch Vehicle

The Ares Launch Vehicles, The Futures Channel

"Imagine a rocket the size of a small skyscraper. Now imagine shooting it into the air with so much force that it goes from zero to a thousand miles an hour in less than a minute. What kind of engines can generate that much thrust? And why is that rocket built in stages? Go inside Marshall Space Flight Center to meet members of the Ares Rocket team who can answer those questions and more."

Editor's note: Whether you are pro-Ares or just wish it would go away this 9+ minute provides a good profile on Ares.
Frank's note: How many readers think we will ever see an Ares V built and launched?

Governments Suppress Alien Truth - Former NASA Astronaut Edgar Mitchell

Former astronaut: Man not alone in universe, CNN

"Earth Day may fall later this week, but as far as former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell and other UFO enthusiasts are concerned, the real story is happening elsewhere.

Mitchell, who was part of the 1971 Apollo 14 moon mission, asserted Monday that extraterrestrial life exists, and that the truth is being concealed by the U.S. and other governments."

Today's Video: Like None Other - Restored Moon Images to Help Future Moon Missions

First Moon Images No Longer Lost in Space, AP

"Mankind's first up-close photos of the lunar landscape have been rescued from four decades of dusty storage. As AP's Haven Daley reports, they've been restored to such a high quality that they rival anything taken by modern cameras."

Dedicated Lone Researcher Makes Sticky Moon Dust Discovery

Discovered After 40 Years: Moon Dust Hazard Influenced by Sun's Elevation, AGU

"But it wasn’t until late 2006, when O'Brien learned from NASA’s website that the space agency had misplaced data tapes from its dust-detecting experiments, that he decided to revisit his own set of 173 tapes. NASA had sent him these tapes one by one in 1969 and 1970, when he was working at the Department of Physics at University of Sydney. He took them with him when, in 1971, he moved to Perth for a new job. O'Brien's tapes are now the only known record of data from those vintage experiments.

Working alone and self-funded, the 75-year-old scientist dedicated two years to analyzing paper charts printed out in 1969 and 1970 from the magnetic tapes, which contain 6 million measurements, most of them yet to be analyzed. "

Physicist Stephen Hawking in Hospital

Physicist Stephen Hawking very ill and in hospital, Reuters

Physicist Stephen Hawking, the author of "A Brief History of Time" who is almost completely paralyzed by motor neurone disease, has been urgently admitted to hospital, Cambridge University said on Monday.

"Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital," the university said.

A Constellation Alternative you Might Never have Seen

Editor's note: NASA Watch has obtained the following NASA presentations that offer an alternative to Ares, Orion and Altair. It wasn't meant for the public to see. We'll let you decide what you think of them.

• Mission Kit Design RevA (PDF)
• Prop Transfer Module REVa (PDF)
• Reusable Lunar Lander (PDF)
• Reusable Lunar Lander, Powerpoint Show with Animations

Editor's Update: I think what needs to be noted here is the continuing discontent within NASA with the Constellation program. And in the absence of leadership the discontent will continue to fester. Isn't time the Obama administration appoint a new Administrator? Someone who has leadership credentials?

The Onion Strikes

NASA Embarks On Epic Delay, The Onion

"Delays of this magnitude were once the stuff of science fiction," Scolese told reporters during a noon press conference Monday that actually started around 3:15 p.m. "But now, thanks to a number of long-overdue technological advances, this historic delay will stretch the very limits of what humankind can push back indefinitely."

Mike Griffin Doesn't Seem To Miss NASA Watch

Editor's note: According to sources Mike Griffin made reference to NASA Watch last night at the Goddard Memorial Dinner: "Tonight is the first night giving a speech in public where I won't wake up tomorrow and read about it in NASAWatch."

I hate burst your bubble Mike. I guess it is "tomorrow" - I may be sitting in a tea lodge in Namche, Nepal, but NASA Watch has eyes and ears everywhere.

Don't let the door ...

Editor's Update: We have conflicting reports about what was said. Our sources who were there provided the quote while others say Mike did not make this statement. Without a transcript to reference and since it seems we've heard a wide variety of comments on this issue I've decided to close comments. Marc Boucher

Save Historic Mercury Mission Control Center

Senator John Glenn reflects on anniversary of Project Mercury, Zanesville TimeRecorder

"NASA was officially created on Oct. 1, 1958, but this month marks the 50th anniversary of how the space program started with Project Mercury. NASA selected the Mercury Seven on April 1, 1959, and they were introduced to the world on April 9, 1959."

Slowly Crumbling, NASA Landmarks May Face the Bulldozer, New York Times

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, National Historic Landmarks Program

Editor's note: It's come to my attention that the historic Mercury Mission Control Center is now scheduled to be demolished in early May. Shouldn't this historic landmark be restored and kept as a museum to inspire our youth?

Frank's Note: I'm sorry to offend but I agree with those readers who suggest it's time to let this artifact go to the dumpsters. Much of the important artifacts of the early Space Age have in fact been preserved. We spacers, for a relatively young history, spend too much time, IMHO, living in the past. Look at the time, money and energy spent on commemorations of the Apollo 11 landing. And what do we wind up doing every five years or so? Photo ops and grand speechifying. Heaven forbid that much needed funds be pumped into these faltering programs-that would be putting the $$ where the mouths of politicians are.
What makes people think that young people today will be "inspired" to dedicate their lives to space exploration and research by this hulking junk yard? You want to inspire them/ Give them a place in the space agency not fouled by bureaucratic mentality and meetings after meetings. Why is SpaceX so popular? Because instead of speeches about how important history is, they are making some new history of their own. What's past is past. Let's move on into the future!

Report - Don't Extend Shuttle Program

Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases Annual Report, NASA HQ

"Proposed Extension of the Space Shuttle Program

To maximize safety, minimize wasted effort, and bolster employee morale, any further debate regarding the future of the Shuttle should be undertaken immediately and completed without further delay. From a safety standpoint, the ASAP strongly endorses the NASA position on not extending Shuttle operations beyond successful execution of the December 2008 manifest, completing the ISS. Continuing to fly the Shuttle not only would increase the risk to crews, but also could jeopardize the future U.S. Exploration program by squeezing available resources (and, in the worst case, support) for the Constellation program."

Editor's note: Download report (PDF)

NASA's Green Idea

NASA Leads Team in Establishing a Renewable Hydrogen Fueling Station, NASA Glenn

"NASA's Glenn Research Center is leading a team of industry and university partners in demonstrating a prototype of a commercial hydrogen fueling station that uses wind and solar power to produce hydrogen from water. This initial installation will produce hydrogen from Lake Erie water to fuel a mass transit bus powered by fuel cells.

The demonstration, featuring a unique, high-capacity electrolyzer that separates water into its elemental components of hydrogen and oxygen, is part of an economic development program in the Cleveland area. Local workers will design and build the electrolyzer using commercially available components."

SpaceX Prepares for Another Launch - Photo Report

SpaceX Falcon 1 Flight 5 Update, SpaceX

"SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 1 on it's 5th flight with a primary payload of Malaysia's RazakSAT as early as April 20 as everything reportedly remains on schedule."

Editor's Update: SpaceX Signs Argentina's Space Agency for Two Falcon 9 Launches, SpaceX

"Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has signed an agreement with CONAE, Argentina's National Commission on Space Activity, for two launches aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 medium-to-heavy lift vehicle. The flights will send the SAOCOM 1A and 1B Earth observation satellites into sun-synchronous orbits, where they will provide imagery for natural resources monitoring, as well as emergency and disaster management."

Editor's Update: RazakSAT Launch Delayed, The New Straits Times

"Abdul Hanan said SpaceX will be doing the repairs which will take at least six weeks."

Editor's Update: RAZAKSAT Launch Postponed, SpaceX

Oiling the Wheels

Frank's Note: Check out this report on federal campaign contributions for last year's campaign cycle at Open Secrets

Honeywell lead the defense/aerospace sector with a total contributions of $2.5 million. Lockheed was right behind at $1.6 million and Boeing in third place at $1.3 million. Interestingly enough, their contributions were almost evenly divided between Dems and the GOP, with Dems slightly ahead in the dollars donated. Of course, from the perspective of the aerospace giants, this just makes good (political) sense. But how do readers think change will come about if the status quo is so well represented?

Mike Griffin, I want to Teach, Money was not an Issue

Griffin set to return to class, The Huntsville Times

"An excited crowd of students, educators and Huntsville business leaders filled the entrance hall of the Shelby Center for Science and Technology to meet the man they believe can make UAH "the Cal Tech of the South, a great aerospace university."

"We're here because we want to be here," he said. "The offer extended to me by the (UA system) trustees was not the highest I received; it wasn't even the fifth highest that I received, and that's just a fact."

Frank's Note: Maybe an enterprising student will ask Mikey why Marsha Ivins was able to dominate human spaceflight development during his tenure at NASA HQ. I mean, inquiring minds and all that...

Mars Program Gets no Special Treament

MEPAG Chair's letter on Mars Inputs to the Decadal Survey, NASA MEPAG

"A significant part of the discussion at the townhall meeting related to the kinds of inputs the Decadal Survey panels need or could benefit from to achieve their purpose, and the timing required in order for those inputs to be useful. As stated on Slide #9 of the presentation cited above, "broad community input is a defining feature of a decadal survey". For Mars, we can see two classes of written inputs to the process: 1). White papers prepared by MEPAG on behalf of the entire community, and 2). White papers prepared by subsets of the Mars community on topical areas of interest. "

Editor's note: Here's Steve Squyres presentation for you to download.

There's a special note about Mars in the presentation: "Mars missions will be considered on an equal basis with all other missions. No “set aside” for Mars exploration will be assumed a priori."

With the Mars Science Laboratory significantly over budget and with the launch delayed one wonders what's to become of the Mars program over the next decade. When will the coveted Mars Sample Return mission be slotted in?

Tranquility Node to Colbert Treadmill

NASA names treadmill after Colbert, AP (Via San Francisco Chronicle)

"On Tuesday's "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, astronaut Sunita Williams announced that NASA — which always maintained it had the right to choose an appropriate name — would not name the node after Colbert.

NASA and Colbert compromised by naming a treadmill used for exercising in space after Colbert. NASA, itself an acronym (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), often names things so they spell out something fun. And that's what they did with the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT)."

Editor's note: A compromise that saved NASA some embarrassment and provided some comic relief and lots of PR.

Kudo's to Robert Pearlman of CollectSpace for the early tip.

NASA names space module for moon base ...not Colbert

"Tranquility was the eighth most popular name written-in by visitors to NASA's website between February 19 and March 20 of this year. Though its impossible to know why so many chose that name, its relation to one of the most notable events in NASA's 50 year history is clear.

"Tranquility" is also defined as a calm state, or serenity."

Editor's note: Here's the press release from NASA.

NASA New Space Station Module Name Honors Apollo 11 Anniversary, NASA HQ

Editor's note: For those who didn't see the show we now have the video available.

Griffin to be at University of Alabama in Huntsville?

Former NASA chief Mike Griffin being considered for UAH posting, The Huntsville Times

"Griffin, who was NASA administrator from April 2005-January 2009, is being considered for employment as an "eminent scholar and tenured professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at" UAH. "

"Griffin is the only item on the committee's 10 a.m. "

Editor's note: I wonder what the folks at Marshall think about this?

Editor's Update: It's official, Griffin will join the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

NASA Administrator Dr. Mike Griffin will join the University of Alabama in Huntsville as an eminent scholar, The Huntsville Times

Editor's Update: I just got heard from Keith in Katmandu and he had this comment on Mike's new job; "Keith Cowing suggests that this will give him a front row seat as the Ares program is redesigned."

Editor's Update: Here's the press release about Griffin's appointment.

NASA's Michael Griffin appointed eminent scholar, professor at University of Alabama at Huntsville, University of Alabama-Huntsville

Editor's Update: Looks like Mike's salary will be a nice $350K

Frank's note: is it just me that wishes Mike Griffin would go the way of Sean O'Keefe and Dan Goldin and just go quietly into retirement? I have to confess I'm just sick of the guy and the mess he has made of the VSE.

Telepresence and Micro-bots for Exploration?

Boldly Going Nowhere, New York Times OpEd by Seth Shostak, SETI Institute

"The pace of improvement in rocketry is languid. It will be a decade before NASA’s new Orion spacecraft allows humans to revisit the Moon, a short cosmic hop. And while today’s launching vehicles are more powerful than their predecessors, the speeds are hardly impressive. The New Horizons probe cleared the pad at a clip barely twice that of the Atlas rocket that hoisted John Glenn into orbit at the dawn of the space age.

So while there’s little doubt that humanity will soon explore and eventually colonize the Moon, Mars and the satellites and asteroids of the outer solar system, sending humans beyond that is impractical for the foreseeable future.

But there’s another technology that’s developing at a breakneck clip, and with which our grandchildren could make virtual trips to other solar systems. It’s called telepresence — a collection of technologies that extends vision, hearing and touch far beyond the corporeal confines of our nervous system."

Frank's Note: I guess the NYT never heard of the VASIMR rocket....

...

"A plausible solution would be to re-energize NASA’s development of nuclear-powered rockets, with the intention of building a craft able to send clusters of micro-bots into deep space at velocities of, say, one-tenth light speed. Depending on financing and our ability to garner international cooperation, these probes could be sent off before the 21st century starts to wane. By the middle of the following century, on-the-scene data from Epsilon Eridani, the nearest known planetary system, could be in our hands."

A NASA Earth Day Poll

Online Poll for NASA's Greatest Hits for Earth Begins Today, NASA HQ

"NASA is inviting the public to vote online for the most important contribution the space agency has made to exploring Earth and improving the way we live on our home planet. NASA is conducting the survey as part of its celebration of Earth Day, April 22. Voting begins today, and closes on April 21. Poll results will be announced on NASA's Web site on Earth Day."

Editor's Note: On the day NASA will announce the Colbert Node, oops, I mean the new name of Node 3, NASA announces a new poll aiming for your vote. To note, Colbert is not an option.

California looks to Future Power Sources

Space Solar Power: The Next Frontier?, PG&E

"As part of PG&E's commitment to providing more renewable energy to its customers, the utility has supported a wide range of technologies, including wind, geothermal, biomass, wave and tidal, and at least a half dozen types of solar thermal and photovoltaic power.

PG&E is seeking approval from state regulators for a power purchase agreement with Solaren Corp., a Southern California company that has contracted to deliver 200 megawatts of clean, renewable power over a 15 year period."

Frank's observation: For less than half the cost of a single Space Shuttle mission, a solar power space demo could be conducted to verify this technology once and for all. Readers: why do you think that such a potentially revolutionary power capability remains marooned on Earth?

Old Age Could be Getting to Mars Rover Spirit

Computer Reboots Raise Concerns About Mars Rover Spirit, NASA JPL

"The team operating NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is examining data received from Spirit in recent days to diagnose why the rover apparently rebooted its computer at least twice over the April 11-12 weekend."

"We are aware of the reality that we have an aging rover, and there may be age-related effects here," Callas said. "

Editor's note: Old age may be setting in but this is one mission that's done NASA proud.

Senator Shelby Speaks

Senator Richard Shelby, America can't afford space shuttle, station and Ares rockets, The Huntsville Times

"The Tuscaloosa Republican told members of The Huntsville Times editorial board this morning that America probably could not afford to continue flying the space shuttle past its set September 2010 retirement date, continue supporting the $100 billion space station past 2015 and build the shuttle's intended successor - the Ares I."

Editor's note: Video available.

Constellation Status Update

Where Things Stand with Constellation, NASA Blog Contributed by Jeff Hanley, Constellation Program Manager

"First, some facts: NASA’s commitment has been and continues to be to achieve the first human launch of Orion by March 2015. We see that as eminently achievable, but it’s not a guarantee – there is no such thing in any large scale development program and especially for one where the available funding is never known more than one year in advance."

"NASA’s Constellation Program is rejuvenating an agency and an industry."

Editor's note: Constellation may be many things, but can anybody really claim it is "rejuvenating" NASA and the aerospace industry? Is this more hype from Jeff-as should be expected-rather than an honest appraisal of the program's status? And as such, is any of this stuff credible?
BTW, while Keith is away on his adventure of a lifetime, I'll be posting occasional comments.
Ad Astra-per aspera!
-Frank Sietzen, Jr.

Naming Spacecraft

Naming Spacecraft: Confusion Reigns, Collectspace

"Sometimes the spacecraft-naming process became controversial and resulted in battles of will between the flight crews and self-appointed screening experts at NASA headquarters. Gus Grissom almost ran afoul of the approval loop but won out in the end. See sidebar, What's In A Name?, (below). His choice, "Molly Brown," was eventually approved. However, the NASA Headquarters bureaucrats were so "ticked off" after the Grissom incident no names were allowed for the remaining Gemini flights (4 through 12) and Apollo flights 7 and 8, merely the official numerical designations were used. i.e. Gemini 4, 5 etc., and Apollo 7 and 8."

Sending The Wrong Message

First World Released to DVD Sales to Benefit the SETI Institute and the National Space Society

"Screened at over 20 science fiction conventions in the United States, Australia, India, Japan, Ireland and the United Kingdom, First World is set in the year 2018 and is a fictional account of what NASA discovered and covered up during the Apollo space program. The secret is now unraveling on the eve of the next space race to the Moon between China and the United States with the world bracing itself for the dramatic outcome."

Editor's note: Oh great, what a wonderful message for the SETI Institute and National Space Society to be associated with.

Is NASA Going to Write Boeing a Big Check?

Boeing wins royalty in patent case against NASA

"Boeing Co. may get hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation after winning a patent-infringement claim against NASA over an aluminum alloy used to build the space shuttle. Boeing developed a lighter structure for frames in the 1970s and 1980s to save on jet fuel costs. It claimed the technology was used in the external fuel tank that provides the backbone of the shuttle during launch and sued the government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington in 2000."

Official NASA.gov April Fool Item

April Fool! Look What's in Kevin Petersen’s Parking Space! (photo)

"Retiring NASA Dryden Flight Research Center director Kevin Petersen got an April Fool's Day surprise when he drove in to work on April 1st -- the HiMAT remotely piloted research aircraft sitting in his parking space in front of Dryden's main building. The sub-scale aircraft had been in storage at NASA Ames Research Center since the Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology project, on which Petersen had been a research engineer, ended in 1983. With the assistance of Dryden's maintenance chief Tom Grindle, the HiMAT aircraft was brought back to Dryden recently without Petersen's knowledge, cleaned up and positioned in his parking space overnight. The HiMAT aircraft will eventually be placed on permanent display at Dryden."

Hey, What's All That Noise Outside The Gate?

Tired of April Fools Gags? Wait, There's More, Wall Street Journal

"Then there is an entirely different category of things that leave you scratching your head-like the news that Rackable Systems is paying just $25 million for once-mighty Silicon Graphics, which is filing for Chapter 11 protection for a second time. When a reporter sent the news release to the public affairs office of NASA Ames Research Center-which operates a massive supercomputer built by Silicon Graphics-the agency phoned backed quickly to ask an important question: "Is this an April Fool's Joke?"

NASA, Intel, SGI Plan to 'Soup Up' Supercomputer, NASA ARC

"Under the terms of a Space Act Agreement, NASA will work closely with Intel and SGI to increase computational capabilities for modeling and simulation at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) facility at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif."

Fallen star SGI to sell most assets for $25M, San Jose Mercury News

"In 2000, it sold its interest in supercomputer maker Cray Research. In 2003, it vacated its Mountain View headquarters and leased the buildings to Google. Two years later, it hired a turnaround company to help it stop hemorrhaging money. But in May 2006, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and emerged from that status in October."

Former Highflier's Final Landing, Wall Street Journal

"Silicon Graphics Inc., once one of the computer industry's highest fliers, filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and will sell its assets to Rackable Systems Inc. for $25 million."

Editor's note: So much for the notion that ARC PAO benefits by their physical proximity to Silicon Valley. Perhaps adding a public "awareness" functionality to NASA ARC public "affairs" responsibilities is in order. This applies to all NASA facilities, by the way - especially when the Wall Street Journal starts to take notice. If I had a massive asset such as ARC's supercomputer, I'd sure want to pay attention to the health of the company that sold it to me - and keeps it running especially since NASA has a Space Act Agreement with SGI and Intel and SGI already had entered into bankruptcy twice in the past three years.

NASA Watch Turns 13

Editor's note: NASA Watch (then called NASA RIF Watch) went online on 1 April 1996 with this posting as one of its top news items. Mal Peterson continues to try and wiggle out of this to this day (feel free to comment, Mal). A special thanks to the "mother" of NASA Watch, be she ever anonymous!

28 March 1996 Mal Peterson: the value of fear in managing corporate-downsizing

"Mal Peterson (NASA HQ Comptroller's Office) personally briefed NASA program managers (Centers and HQ) yesterday (27 March) and gave instructions for planning and implementing a RIF by Summer 1997, the reduction to be completed by October 1998, to a total complement level of 17,500, as called for by the President for the year 2000, to be completed by 1998. Vugraphs were shown concerning "the value of fear in managing corporate-downsizing." (That is a direct quote) They have statistics on the number of personnel supposed to be within retirement range and everyone will be encouraged to retire asap, though these numbers will not prevent a RIF. He strongly indicated that congressional backing would be soon forthcoming."

29 Nov 1996: Changes in Thinking at NASA, PBS Newshour

"TOM BEARDEN: Goldin and his associate administrators want their people to make quick decisions and fix mistakes later, instead of doing what he says NASA used to do, study a problem to death for fear of failing. 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.

KEITH COWING, RIF Watch: Dan Goldin's approach is he'll walk into--metaphorically--into a stockyard with a machine gun and shoot up all the cows. And somebody will come back later and say, now, where's that prize bull, and he'll hand ‘em hamburger and say, here, put it back together; it's all there. Dan constantly changes things, but he never leaves them in place long enough to accomplish anything."

Space Reporting Snobbery

The last one out can turn off the lights..., Opinion, Dwayne Day Space Review

"There are other reasons why professional space reporting remains important. Professional media can pay to send reporters to get the story, or pay a reporter to operate in places--Houston, Cape Canaveral--where the stories are generated. Yes, the space blogosphere can operate from anywhere, but people won't do certain things, like call up sources or knock on office doors on a weekday, unless they're getting paid."

Editor's note: While Dwayne (on the staff of the NRC Space Studies Board) makes some valid points, he also oozes elitism as to how he thinks the media should cover space news and seems to think that the only good space journalism is one conducted by people paid to do it. He clearly does not understand the full extent of changes underway in all aspects of news reporting - space is only a subset thereof.

Would You Like to Write For SpaceRef and NASA Watch?

Are you an expert in your field? Do you have a lot to say but lack the ability to reach a mass audience? Do you want to write for SpaceRef and NASA Watch? Then keep reading. In May SpaceRef is relaunching our online web site and we're on the lookout for experienced writers to write for SpaceRef and NASA Watch who are passionate about space science, space exploration, space policy, earth science, launches, NewSpace, satellites etc.

More information

Moose Hunting Season Is Under Way

An Inspector General Under Fire, editorial, NY Times

"President Obama has rightly pledged to root out waste and fraud as he ramps up federal spending. With such publicly expressed doubt about Mr. Cobb's effectiveness and objectivity, it is hard to see how he can conduct audits and investigations that will be trusted and believed. The president should let him go and nominate a qualified successor."

NASA News Corps Shrinks Again

Space Beat Getting Smaller, FreeSpace (Irene Klotz)

"Anyone who tells you they’re not worried about losing their job either works for the government or lives in the land of Denial. So while it was a surprise, it certainly wasn’t totally unexpected to learn of the departure of a 23-year colleague and friend on the space beat, Mark Carreau, from the Houston Chronicle."

Editor's note: Craig, then Miles, now Mark. Why are only the good ones getting canned?

Smelling For A Living at NASA

Boy finds fame with smelly shoes, BBC

"Mr Aldrich's credentials as an olfactory adjudicator date back to his days conducting smell tests for American space agency Nasa."

Editor's note: Just what was he sniffing at NASA?

Worden Does The Space Show

Editor's note: ARC Center Director Pete Worden will be on The Space Show today, from 2:00 - 3:00 PDT.

Editor's update: The Space Show folks got confused about the date, it would seem, when they Twittered about their schedule today. Pete Worden was on their show yesterday.

Hacking Bill Nelson

Lawmaker hacked off over cyber invasions

"Cyber-invaders thought to be in China have recently hacked into the computer network in U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's office, according to the senator's office. Two attacks on the same day this month and another one last month targeted work stations used by three Nelson staffers - a key foreign-policy aide, the deputy legislative director and a former Nelson NASA adviser. But the hackers didn't make off with any classified information, which isn't kept on office computers, a Nelson spokesman said. Nelson is a member of the Senate's Intelligence, Armed Services and Finance committees; and, he heads a Senate subcommittee that oversees NASA. "I have had my office computers invaded three times in the last month. One of them, we think, is serious," Nelson acknowledged Thursday, during a Senate Armed Services hearing that touched upon the subject of hackers trying to invade U.S. military computer networks."

Moose Hunting Season Is Under Way

3 senators urge Obama to remove NASA inspector Cobb, Orlando Sentinel

"Three U.S. senators drew a bull's eye on NASA's "Moose," calling for the removal of the agency's inspector general, Robert "Moose" Cobb. The bipartisan trio of senators announced Wednesday that they sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to remove Cobb from his job as the government's in-house watchdog on NASA spending. The senators - Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, D-W.V., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa - pointed to "years of complaints and investigation's into Cobb's work."

GriffinSpace, LLC

Editor's note: Rebecca Griffin has been sending this email around the Washington aerospace community:

"Dear Colleagues, As all of you know, Mike has left NASA and I am now free of his conflict of interest restrictions and am able to accept consulting engagements again. To that end, Mike and I have set up a woman-owned small business, GriffinSpace LLC, of which I am the president and Mike is the chief operating officer. Please discard your prior contact information for me and use: ..."

Apparently the online home of their new company, GriffinSpace, LLC will eventually be http://www.griffinspace.net/

Space Elevator Spring Chat Series

The Space Elevator Spring Chat Series begins March 17 and will be running every Tuesday for at least 4 weeks. Our first guest will be: Ben Shelef, Co-founder, The Spaceward Foundation & the International Space Elevator Consortium. Join the Chat: March 17 2:30 PM Eastern Time/ 11:30 AM Pacific Time Topic: The Space Elevator concept including an update on the Space Elevator Challenges http://www.spaceelevator.com/chat

Flurry of Space Activity in Canada

Canadian Leadership in Space: International Experts to Discuss Need for Cohesive Policy

"The need to shape a Canadian space policy is being addressed this week by a special roundtable of international experts meeting in Ottawa, a discussion that will focus on what is required to spur government action on space activities."

Media Advisory: National Astronaut Recruitment Campaign-Canadian Space Agency Introduces Top 16 Candidates

"The President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Steve MacLean will introduce the top 16 candidates remaining in the National Astronaut Recruitment Campaign during a news conference on Monday, March 16."

Canadian NewSpace: Domestic and International Opportunities for 2009 and Beyond

"Canadian NewSpace will be a gathering of industry professionals seeking to assess domestic and international opportunities in space commerce that may be for the immediate future and beyond."

From the Earth to Mars - Steps Towards a First Human Mission to the Red Planet

"Join Dr. Pascal Lee, Director of the Haughton-Mars Project, Mars Institute for this free lecture at the H.R. MacMillan Space Center in Vancouver."

Scamming NASA

Professor, Wife Accused of Defrauding NASA of Hundreds of Thousands of Taxpayer Dollars, Fox News

"Iranian-born Samim Anghaie, 59, is the Director of the Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute at the University of Florida. His wife, 55-year-old Sousan Anghaie, is president of New Era Technology Inc. (NETECH) in Gainesville, Fla. Authorities say Sousan Anghaie persuaded NASA to award her company "several fully funded contracts," including nearly $600,000 to develop and study a uranium-related technology. But, according to an affidavit unsealed today in federal court, the couple allegedly used most of that money to buy personal luxuries -- including their $480,000 home in Gainesville, a 2007 BMW and a 2005 Toyota Sienna sports van. They also used that money to buy a property for their son in Tampa, Fla., a property for their other son in Manchester, Conn., a 2008 Toyota Corolla for Sousan Anghaie's sister, and a 2007 Toyota Corolla for another family member."

FBI raids University of Florida nuclear power institute, Orlando Sentinel

"Robert "Moose" Cobb, NASA's inspector general, would not provide further detail. "We don't comment on ongoing activities," he said. He also would not elaborate on the frequency of theft at NASA. Dan McLaughlin, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fl., acknowledged that Nelson met with Anghaie in 2007. The two men discussed the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer - a $1.5 billion international physics experiment that researchers hope to one day mount aboard the International Space Station. NASA has balked, however, because it does not have enough money to fly another shuttle mission to carry the experiment."

Another Good Idea Badly Promoted by JPL

Editor's note: JPL is having an interesting live video stream from the white room where Mars Science Laboratory is being prepared for launch. JPL PAO's Veronica McGregor just posted a heads up on Twitter - you can view the event live here on USTREAM TV

But unless you use Twitter or knew to look at JPL's home page today and saw "Readying for Mars: Live 'Clean Room Cam' and Chat" you would not even know that this was going on. No media advisories or press releases were issued. There is no mention on the MSL website at JPL or here on NASA.gov's media site - or anywhere else on NASA.gov so far as I can tell.

It is great that JPL is trying new stuff out, but they should not leave the rest of the world behind when it comes to informing people as to what it is doing.

I, for one, want to welcome our robotic overlords ...

Experts Warn of 'Terminator'-Style Military-Robot Rebellion, The Times via Fox News

"Autonomous military robots that will fight future wars must be programmed to live by a strict warrior code, or the world risks untold atrocities at their steely hands. The stark warning -- which includes discussion of a "Terminator"-style scenario in which robots turn on their human masters -- is part of a hefty report funded by and prepared for the U.S. Navy's high-tech and secretive Office of Naval Research."

Autonomous Military Robotics: Risk, Ethics, and Design (report)

"The worries include: where responsibility would fall in cases of unintended or unlawful harm, which could range from the manufacturer to the field commander to even the machine itself; the possibility of serious malfunction and robots gone wild; capturing and hacking of military robots that are then unleashed against us ..."

Pete Olson's Thoughts on NASA

Let’s work to keep NASA on course back to moon, opinion, Rep. Pete Olson, Houston Chronicle

"During the debate on the economic stimulus proposals in the House, many different standards were used by my colleagues to justify policies and proposals eligible for funding. But there are some standards that are universally accepted as ones worthy of government investment: Does it advance our national interests, does it create jobs and does it serve as a worthwhile investment both in time, energy and resources? Our nation’s space program meets these criteria. It has throughout its rich history and, based on current and scheduled missions, it will in the future. The debate across our government generally, and frankly within NASA specifically, about funding priorities is a good one. A blank check, especially written by the government, is not a good management incentive for innovation in my opinion."

Rep. John Conyers and Anti-transparency

CALL TO ACTION: Ask your Representative to oppose the H.R. 801 - The Fair Copyright in Research Works Act, Science Blogs

"(from the Alliance for Taxpayer Access) February 11, 2009 Last week, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Rep. John Conyers, D-MI) re-introduced a bill that would reverse the NIH Public Access Policy and make it impossible for other federal agencies to put similar policies into place. The legislation is H.R. 801: the "Fair Copyright in Research Works Act" (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.801:)."

Editor's note: Just as NASA creeps towards enhanced "transparency, openness, and participation" as promoted by President Obama, legislation like that introduced by Rep. Conyers would give all federal agencies the ability (and incentive) to reduce (as opposed to expand) what the taxpaying public has as access to.

Obama Policies on Transparency, Openness, and Participation - and NASA, earlier post

Insider Twitter to Follow

Editor's note: bnjacobs, Bob Jacobs, Acting Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs, NASA HQ. You'll never know what sort of pithy, tasty tidbits he may post ...

Transparency at the NAC

Editor's note: Presentations from the 5 February session of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) meeting in Cocoa Beach are now online. This is amazing. The previous NAC management would drag their feet, often taking months to post anything - and that's if they ever actually posted anything on their own volition. Usually it required FOIA requests and lots of complaints before they'd respond. Looks like "transparency" to me!

"ISS Update

Three options
- Retire in 2010 (current plan)
- Extend to 2012
- Extend to 2015"

Iran Orbits Satellite

Iran launches first satellite (with video), Telegraph

"The launch of the Omid satellite, meaning Hope, was timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution and United Nations talks aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear programme. "Dear Iranians, your children have put the first indigenous satellite into orbit," said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a broadcast on state television. "With this launch the Islamic Republic of Iran has officially achieved a presence in space." The launch has highlighted international concerns that Iran will use domestically developed space technology to develop intercontinental nuclear missiles."

Message from the President on NASA's Day of Remembrance, Jan. 29, 2009

"The arrival of a new year reminds us that life is a journey, one that takes us on many unexpected paths. NASA's role is to pioneer journeys into the unknown for the benefit of humanity. Along the way, we sometimes experience tragedy instead of triumph.

President Barack Obama"

Obama Seeks Space Weapon Ban

Challenges loom as Obama seeks space weapons ban, Reuters

"President Barack Obama's pledge to seek a worldwide ban on weapons in space marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy while posing the tricky issue of defining whether a satellite can be a weapon. Moments after Obama's inauguration last week, the White House website was updated to include policy statements on a range of issues, including a pledge to restore U.S. leadership on space issues and seek a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites."

The Agenda: Defense, WhiteHouse.gov

"Ensure Freedom of Space: The Obama-Biden Administration will restore American leadership on space issues, seeking a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites. They will thoroughly assess possible threats to U.S. space assets and the best options, military and diplomatic, for countering them, establishing contingency plans to ensure that U.S. forces can maintain or duplicate access to information from space assets and accelerating programs to harden U.S. satellites against attack."

Mike Griffin Bids Farewell

NASA News Update with Mike Griffin (Transcript)

"I am officially on duty until noon, Eastern Time, on the 20th, but the government is closed down on Monday and Tuesday for all the obvious reasons. So today is my last chance to visit with everybody, and I thought I would finish up my term in the way that I started, talking to the NASA employees in an All Hands. ...

... I made a few notes because I didn't want to forget any more people than I have to forget, which will inevitably be some, and so, if I forget you as I say thanks, all I can ask is forgiveness."

Editor's note: One person notably absent from the thank you list was the man who appointed Griffin to be NASA Administrator in the first place i.e. President Bush.

Craig Covault is Back - With Quite a Scoop

Secret inspection satellites boost space intelligence ops, Craig Covault, SpaceflightNow

"In a top secret operation, the U.S. Defense Dept. is conducting the first deep space inspection of a crippled U.S. military spacecraft. To do this, it is using sensors on two covert inspection satellites that have been prowling geosynchronous orbit for nearly three years. The failed satellite being examined is the $400 million U.S. Air Force/Northrop Grumman Defense Support Program DSP 23 missile warning satellite. It died in 2008 after being launched successfully from Cape Canaveral in November 2007 on the first operational Delta 4-Heavy booster."

Craig Covault joins Spaceflight Now

"Craig Covault, one of the world's most respected aerospace journalists, is joining the Spaceflight Now team as Editor-at-Large. With about 3,000 articles to his name and nearly four decades in the business, Craig will further strengthen Spaceflight Now's unrivaled coverage of the space program."

Annual Congressional Moose Hunt Is Underway

Lawmakers want Obama to remove NASA inspector general, Federal Times

"Two Democratic congressmen have renewed calls for the removal of NASA Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb, citing a new Government Accountability Office report critical of Cobb's track record auditing NASA programs and detecting fraud, waste and abuse."

GAO: NASA needs to improve its internal audits, Federal Computer Week

"The NASA IG office disagreed with the GAO's findings and questioned the depth and scope of the evaluation, according to the report. "

NASA's New Theme Park for Foreign Visitors?

Qualify test, get a ticket to Nasa, The Telegraph (Calcutta, India)

"Want to see outer space and life of an astronaut from close range? Pass an examination and your dream would turn into reality. Students of Jharkhand and Bihar would soon get a golden opportunity to visit National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa). ... The students will be on a 15-day visit to the US where Nasa will host them. The boarding, lodging, travelling, medical and visa expenditure would sponsor the students."

Griffin Bids Farwell

"NASA UPDATE WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR:

Administrator Michael Griffin will host a NASA Update on Friday, January 16, at 11 a.m. (EST), in the NASA Headquarters Auditorium. The program will be broadcast live from NASA Headquarters on NASA TV and the Web. During the program, employees will be able to ask questions from NASA Headquarters and participating field centers. If you cannot ask your question during the program, you may send it by e-mail to: nasaupdate@hq.nasa.gov. Please join the administrator for this important NASA Update."

GAO Report on NASA OIG Released

GAO: Inspectors General: Actions Needed to Improve Audit Coverage of NASA

"We believe that the lack of OIG recommendations regarding the economy and efficiency of NASA's programs and activities has resulted in the relatively low amount of reported monetary accomplishments when compared to other OIGs during fiscal year 2007. By comparing the OIG's budgetary resources of about $34 million for the same year with the combined monetary accomplishments for audits and investigations, there is a $0.36 return for each budget dollar. When this calculation is made for all 30 OIGs with IGs appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the cumulative return for each budget dollar is approximately $9.49, or about 26 times that of the NASA OIG. Also, when compared to these other OIGs, the year that the NASA OIG had its largest reported monetary accomplishment from audits, it ranked 27 in return for each budget dollar out of the 28 OIG offices reporting monetary accomplishments for fiscal year 2007."

GAO Rips OIG

GAO Report Finds Failure of Oversight by NASA IG

"Today, the Government Accountability Office released a report, "Inspectors General: Actions Needed to Improve Audit Coverage of NASA," which found that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) under Robert "Moose" Cobb returned only 36 cents for every dollar in its budget. Cobb's role as the Inspector General is to reduce waste and save the agency money. In a ranking of 30 agency OIG offices, Cobb's office ranked 27th in recommended savings for every dollar spent. The report was requested by: Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology; Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight during the 110th Congress; and Senator Charles Grassley of the Senate Finance Committee."

Report: NASA inspector general not catching enough, AP

Griffin's Victory Lap or Farewell Tour?

Editor's note: According to various Twitter postings and email messages, Mike Griffin is wowing the crowds at JSC today. Where next?

Office of Communications Planning Is Gone

Editor's note: Have a look at this excerpt from the recently revised NASA Organization description. Missing is the Office of Communications Planning. It has been eliminated. Curiously it is still listed here (or here if you are inside the NASA firewall).

NASA Policy Directive NPD 1000.3D

Effective Date: December 3, 2008
Expiration Date: December 3, 2013

The NASA Organization

4.13 CHIEF OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS.

4.13.1 MISSION. The Chief of Strategic Communications works to promote effective NASA communications by ensuring synergy and strategic focus among the Offices of Education, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Affairs. The Assistant Administrators for the Offices of Education, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Affairs each reports to the Chief of Strategic Communications. Each office similarly maintains liaison with all other Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices and Center Directors.

4.13.2 OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES. The Chief of Strategic Communications reports to the NASA Deputy Administrator.

4.13.2.1 Specifically, the Chief of Strategic Communications:
a. Develops and implements plans that address the organization's goals, objectives, metrics, and actions needed to execute the strategic goals and outcomes in the NASA Strategic Plan.
b. Develops a strategic communications approach for guiding the activities of the Offices of Education, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Affairs including:
1) Designing and implementing strategies and tactics that support NASA’s mission.
2) Advising the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Associate Administrator, and Chief of Staff on long-range and day-to-day activities involving Agency policy and communications activities.
3) Providing Agency-wide standards for education and public outreach activities and products, and reviewing the education and public outreach activities and products that the Mission Directorates and Centers propose.
4) Developing the ability/flexibility to give timely strategic guidance.
5) Developing Agency-wide internal communications policies and instruments.
6) Building and maintaining the NASA brand.
7) Developing, in coordination with the Office of the Administrator, communications for matters of policy, budgets, and mission.
8) Monitoring program performance and metrics, as well as effectiveness and efficiency of programs and processes.

c. Researches and develops effective, data-driven strategic messages that can be employed Agency-wide and targeted to specific audiences (internal and external) to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning the Agency’s activities and results thereof, and to increase public awareness and understanding of NASA and its missions.

d. Ensures the quality of strategic communication activities and achieves consistency of approach, where appropriate, across the Agency through the integration and coordination of Strategic Communications functions and business processes.

e. Serves as a functional strategy owner of the Crosscutting Strategies for Mission Support (CSMS) Plan that outlines crosscutting management strategies, objectives, and actions needed to support the missions. Coordinates and provides input to the CSMS Plan and executes the Plan in alignment and support of NASA’s mission and the United States Space Exploration Policy. Manages the office functions by reducing institutional risk to missions.

f. Ensures that the development of written annual implementation plans for the Offices of Education, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Affairs, supports the strategic communications plan of NASA, are both strategic and operational in nature, and work synergistically and harmoniously across Functional Support Offices, Mission Directorates, and Centers.

g. Holds the Offices of Education, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Affairs accountable for their annual performance, as well as setting specific strategies applicable to each office's functions in support of the Agency's priorities.

h. Individual mission statements for the functional offices reporting to the Office of the Chief of Strategic Communications can be accessed as follows.

4.13.2.1. Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

4.13.2.2. Office of Public Affairs.

4.13.2.3. Office of Education.

4.13.3 SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS. The Chief of Strategic Communications serves as a member of NASA’s Strategic Management Council (SMC), Operations Management Council (OMC), and Program Management Council (PMC) as an invited attendee.

4.13.4 LINE OF SUCCESSION. In the following order: Assistant Administrator for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs; Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs; and Assistant Administrator for Education.

Best Science Blog?

Editor's note: Wow. Someone with nothing better to do has nominated NASA Watch in the Best Science Blog category for the 2008 weblog awards. You can go here to vote for (or against) NASAWatch.

NASA/DoD Wedding Speculation Runs Wild Over the Holidays

Obama may militarise NASA to save money, Register

"President-Elect Barack Obama may seek to save money and advance America's space presence by promoting closer cooperation between the US military space programme and NASA, according to reports."

Obama To Merge NASA, Pentagon To Help With Space Race, dbtechno

"It is believed that President-elect Barack Obama is considering a merger between the Pentagon and NASA to help with the space race to get us back to the moon and eventually to Mars."

Obama May Merge NASA, Pentagon Space Programs, Fox

"The move is being spurred by fear that China, which is making great strides in space, could challenge the U.S. for orbital dominance in the near future."

Editor's note: This is what happens when newspapers write articles based only on articles written by other news sources with a long holiday vacation stuck into the process - articles which themselves originally contained inaccurate information. No one is talking about "militarising" NASA or "merging" it with DoD.

Offline Update

Editor's note: We were offline last night due to some power outages associated with bad weather on the West Coast. Everything should be working fine now.

Changing Course - AGAIN?

A new vision for people in space: MIT report outlines goals for future of human space program

"The report offers "primary objectives" for sending human beings into space as those that can only be accomplished through the physical presence of human beings and are worthy of significant risk to human life. Says Mindell, "we argue for including notions of risk, human experience, and remote presence into the fundamental rationales for sending people into space. The results show that the United States might want a rather different human spaceflight program from the one now planned."
And it is essential that whatever goals are set for human spaceflight, the funding should be adequate to meet those goals. "Trying to do too much with too little is exactly what caused the last two shuttle accidents," he says."

Griffin to Speak at JHU

NASA Head to Speak at Leaders & Legends Series, JHU Gazette

"Michael Griffin, NASA administrator, is the scheduled speaker for this month's installment of the Carey Business School's Leaders & Legends breakfast speaker series, to be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel."

Wonkette on NASA/Obama Flap

NASA Head Trying To Keep Outer Space Secrets From Obama Transition Team, Wonkette

"Like grimy Chicago leeches, the Obama "transition team" (AS IF) has sent review panels to every federal agency to decide which budget items need to be cut, forever, to finance the next $100 billion wave of AIG bailouts. Agencies like FEMA probably abandoned their entire offices before their transition team appointments, just to avoid the embarrassment, whereas places like NASA -- which holds valuable information about quasars, space monsters, and the planets Mars and Neptune -- are simply telling the transition team "YOU WOULDN'T GET IT YOU STUPIDS -- PHYSICS." Space nerds"

Editor's note: Yes the commentary is rude and often obscene - as are the reader's comments. That said, this is a must-read blog inside the beltway - where first impressions and crude jokes can affect official policy faster than you might think (or want).

NASA OIG SemiAnnual Report

NASA Office of Inspector General SemiAnnual Report (April 1 - September 30, 2008)

"NASA's most pressing management and performance challenge continues to be the transition from the Space Shuttle to the next generation of space vehicles. In this regard, NASA's new authorization legislation directs the Agency to conduct two scheduled Shuttle contingency flights and one additional mission. NASA's philosophy has been to have "the last flight as safe" as the first flight after return to flight. While the authorization language puts responsibility on the Administrator to abort the additional mission if it is not safe to fly, safety is incremental and fluid, not fixed. For example, as hardware becomes scarce, program risk tolerance may expand due to less flexibility in flight hardware decisions."

Another Spinoff (Don't Tell PAO)

NASA scientists report on new technology to help protect US troops from infectious diseases

"Representatives from NASA convened in New Orleans today to report at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting the results from a NASA-enhanced computerized system to assess environmental and health concerns for deployed U.S. forces. The Global Situational Awareness Tool (GSAT), developed and operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command, is a computerized set of linkable databases that characterizes and predicts health risks and other dangers to U.S. troops and multi-national forces in Afghanistan and other areas."

NASA HQ PAO and Twitter

Editor's note: PAO's Bob Jacobs (bnjacobs) has been showing the value of NASA Twitter use today. Several examples:

"Watch the 747 with Endeavour leave California at 10 a.m. EST on NASA TV and www.nasa.gov/ntv."

"The next leg is underway. Check it out at http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA911"

A Random Letter

Revive NASA, Letters to the Star Ledger

"The space program has produced many useful spin-off products -- items like air-cushioned sneakers, safer runways, satellite TV and solar panels, to name a few. But NASA is not the agency it used to be. From an exciting and innovative agency, it has become a timid bureaucracy. NASA in not the destination of choice for our best scientists, as it was during its pioneering days."

A Sad Day for CNN Viewers

Miles O'Brien To Leave CNN. Network Shutters Science, Space and Tech Unit

"TVNewser has learned 16-year veteran CNN correspondent and anchor Miles O'Brien will soon be leaving CNN. O'Brien's departure comes as the network dismantles its science, space, environment and technology unit in Atlanta. That includes O'Brien as well as six producers."

Science sphere condemns CNN cuts, Nature (The Great Beyond)

"Science bloggers and media pundits have been collectively sounding off and scratching their heads about CNN’s decision to cut its entire science reporting staff."

CNN Cuts Entire Science, Tech Team, Columbia Journalism Review

"Indeed, others who know the CNN science staff agree that the network is making a bad decision. "I'm baffled," said Keith Cowing, who runs NASAWatch.com and has been a friend of CNN's Miles O'Brien for years. Cowing has appeared on air with O'Brien a number of times. "Miles is a reporter's reporter. In terms of the [scientific] research, it's him. He walks in - and this is why he's so good - and just knows it. To me, there's an economy there where you don't have to have a bunch young researchers running around. You've got the guy who can say, 'Got it,' and go right on air." While CNN credited O'Brien as a "terrific reporter," Cowing added that he is surprised the network doesn't care to hold on to that expertise."

Editor's note: I give up. First Av Week cans Craig Covault now this.

You can follow Miles on Twitter.

He's Back

Editor's note: Dan Goldin's official portrait has been delivered and is hanging somewhere on the 9th floor.

Have a look: click for larger image.

Sad Day for Aviation Week Readers

Editor's note: Just as NASA is getting ready to launch a whole new family of rockets - and commercial space is about to ramp up (Falcon 9) what does Aviation Week and Space Technology do? It closes its Cape Canaveral bureau and fires Dave Hughes (25 years) and Craig Covault (36 years) and for good measure, they fire Dave Collogan who spent 36 years writing for Aviation Daily. Go figure.

I have been reading Craig's reporting on space in Aviation Week since I was in high school in the early 1970's. Those of you who are as baffled and angered by these firings as I am might want to contact Aviation Week's leadership - Tom Henricks (President & CEO) by email at Tom_Henricks@aviationweek.com and Tony Velocci (editor in Chief) at velocci@aviationweek.com - and please post a note of support below as well.

Roger Gort. Klaatu barada nikto. Over.

Editor's note: According to this recent ISS image a mini-Gort - as last seen in the 1951 SciFi flick "The Day The Earth Stood Still" - has mysteriously appeared aboard the ISS. You can see it in this image as well.

By some curious coincidence, a remake of this SciFi classic premieres back on Earth on 12 December.

Coincidence? Savvy product placement? Advance invasion bot? Burning Man 2.0 prototype? Stay tuned.

Gen Y Participatory Exploration Presentation

"Participatory Exploration" @SEDS SpaceVision, OpenNASA.com

"These are the slides from my talk at SEDS SpaceVision this weekend in College Station. I don't have talking points yet, but when/if I do, I'll post them here as well - I just wanted to get the slides up as soon as possible."

Editor's 18 Nov note: This is not the first time I have posted presentations created by some of the Gen Y folks at NASA. I have to admit a bias. I have seen them present these presentations more than once. In the cases where I only have charts, I still clearly get the central themes of what it is they are trying to get at - in storyboard fashion.

Having been a creature of cyberspace for more than a decade (I was "blogging" before the word had been coined) I am a bit of a strange hybrid in that regard. I have watched the Gen Y "culture" evolve on a daily basis. That said, I can understand why others (Gen X, Boomer) would look at these charts and/or listen to live presentations on the topic and feel that they are either left out, that the approach used is simplistic, or that the presentations are deficient in one way or another. Context is important.

What really baffles me is the lack of response by the Gen Y community at NASA to this posting - one wherein their presentation has been routinely bashed by others. And its not just an issue with NASA Watch given that their main website OpenNasa.com is also quiet on this topic.

If Generation Y/Next Gen/Net Gen seeks to change the agency they need to start standing up and being heard when these discussions go on in a public forum.

Full Presentation Below

Editor's 16 Nov note: Earlier this year a number of younger NASA employees briefed NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale on Web 2.0 and Gen Y issues at an SMC meeting. They were tasked to come back with some ideas/projects. It has been more than 6 months. Were those ideas/projects ever presented to NASA HQ? Is this a preview?

Participatory Exploration

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: constellation moon)

NASA's Most Serious Management and Performance Challenges

NASA OIG Report: NASA's Most Serious Management and Performance Challenges

"As required by the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, this memorandum provides our views of the most serious management and performance challenges facing NASA. We continue to use this forum as a means to draw attention to areas within the Agency's key programs and operations that need to achieve greater economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. In determining whether to report an issue as a challenge, we consider the significance of the programmatic, institutional, and external concerns in relationship to the Agency's mission; susceptibility to fraud, waste, and abuse; whether problems are systemic; and whether there are safety issues that could result in injury or loss of life. Through various initiatives and by implementing recommendations made by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and other evaluative bodies, such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO), NASA is working to improve Agency programs and operations and address the following challenges:"

India Has Space fever

Indian space agency Isro to roll out a rival to Google Earth, Times Online

"Emboldened by its first mission to the Moon, India is to take on a target closer to Earth: Google. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which is based in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of the sub-continent, will roll-out a rival to Google Earth, the hugely popular online satellite imagery service, by the end of the month. The project, dubbed Bhuvan (Sanskrit for Earth), will allow users to zoon in to areas as small as 10 metres wide, compared to the 200 metre wide zoom limit on Google Earth."

ISRO starts work on Chandrayaan-2, khabrein.info

"After the great success of Chandrayaan-1, the Indian government has given the go-ahead to Chandrayaan-2. Chandrayaan-1's project director has said that ISRO has started research for Chandrayaan-2, for which the Indian government has sanctioned the required funds."

OIG On Stolen Property at MSFC and GSFC

Final Memorandum on the Review of NASA Stolen Property at Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center

"At GSFC, stolen property was not always properly recorded and reported in accordance with NASA guidance because information about stolen property incidents was not reconciled between logistics and security offices. At MSFC, we found that the MSFC logistics office's process of referring all NASA property incidents to the security office resulted in stolen property incidents being recorded and reported in compliance with NASA policies and procedures."

Griffin Departure Nearing?

Griffin: I'd like to stay but..., Orlando Sentinel

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said Thursday that he would like to continue serving under President-elect Barack Obama - but doesn't expect to be asked. "If the next president asks me to continue I would be happy to do it," said Griffin, speaking to Kennedy Space Center workers. But, he said, "I doubt that will happen." He said he would stay on only "under the right circumstances," including being able to continue the Constellation program meant to replace the space shuttle. "If somebody wanted me to stay on but said, 'No, we need to go over here,' well," he said with a shrug, "do it with somebody else."

Griffin not optimistic about staying on as head of NASA, SpaceflightNow

"NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, answering questions from Kennedy Space Center workers during an "all hands" meeting today, said he does not expect the Obama administration to keep him on as head of the nation's civilian space agency."

Bizarre Space-Related Story Pulled From Washington Examiner

Editor's note: This bizarrely titled article by the Washington Examiner's space blogger Patricia Phillips "Black Panthers intimidate voters in Philadelphia, giant leap back from space age standards" was online yesterday according to her Twitter posting at the Washington Examiner. Now it is gone.

I posted a note on another of her articles asking what happened. She replied: "No, then again: not the same thing. I didn't remove anything or change anything to make me look "right." I removed it because one of my colleagues here was upset enough about the whole thing to cry. So I decided to remove it. Politics ain't worth crying about, IMHO, but there's no sense in adding to anyone else's emotional distress just for the sake of an internet post."

This is not the first time Phillips' postings have been pulled because of their content. You have to wonder if anyone at the Washington Examiner has any sense of editorial scrutiny or moral sensitivity with regard to what they allow to be posted on their newspaper's website. I guess this newspaper did not see what happened yesterday evening either.

More old thinking.

Vote From Space

NASA and Korea Sign Agreement on Space

NASA And Korea Sign Statement Of Intent For Future Cooperation

"During a meeting Thursday at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) in Seoul, Korea, NASA's Assistant Administrator for External Relations, Michael F. O'Brien, and MEST's Director-General for Big Science, Munki Lee, signed a joint statement of intent identifying potential interest in cooperation in civil space and aeronautics activities."

Korea Taps NASA on Space Program, Korea Times

"Government officials have secured a commitment from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to help the country's ambitions for a presence in space technology and to become more involved in international space research projects. The agreement signed between Korea's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and NASA, Friday, calls for expanding exchange in technological advancements and further cooperation on a wide range of projects such as lunar exploration and manned space flights, the ministry said."

Space Boomers Speak Out

NASA JSC Advanced Planning Office Blog: A Perspective from a Baby Boomer

"For many in my generation it was the Apollo program or Star Trek that sealed our future with NASA. For me it was the original voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Yes, I am one of those that would love to see the mission of the agency to be, "To Boldly Go where No one has gone before." My expectation was that upon entering the gates of NASA, I would find someone working on the Warp drive or a transporter. I thought that there would be people working on projects that pushed the boundaries of space and time. I expected Mission Control to look like the deck of the Enterprise. Instead, I found the Apollo Mission Control configuration that worked exceedingly well into the late 1980's."

ColabSpace

The ColabSpace Twitter is now online.

OnOrbit ColabSpace provides a collaborative wiki mashup environment for individuals, groups, organizations, or companies to work on a variety of wikis or projects related to space, be it commercial space, space exploration, Moon, Mars, Astrobiology, space elevators and a myriad of other topics.

Does SciFi Hurt Space Exploration - or Help it?

Is Science Fiction Responsible for the Lack of Public Interest in Space Exploration?, SFSignal

"It's not often that our real life science heroes utter disparaging remarks against science fiction. In fact, the opposite is usually true; science fiction is often cited as a source of inspiration and interest.

Enter Buzz Aldrin, who caused a stir recently with some comments he made. To get a few more opinions, we asked the following of this week's panel: ..."

Cars in Space

Cars in Space, Oobject

"Obviously the design criteria for four wheeled vehicles are somewhat different on other planets. This has yielded some of the most bizarre and fascinating vehicles ever proposed, from the giant Mobility Test Article test driven by Wernher von Braun to today’s rovers which have ditched the most expensive component of all, the driver. Here are a variety of some of both classic and unusual space rovers from prototype to flown."

Indian Media Claims NASA Theme Park Planned

NASA may set up R&D centre in Pune, Business Standard

"While India has just entered the list of moon-mission countries, the pioneer and global leader is aerospace projects US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seems to have taken India very seriously. NASA is on the verge of taking a decision to set up its largest non-US centre near Pune, which would necessarily be a huge theme park. ... The proposed theme park would come up along the backwaters of Varasgaon dam on a 300-acre huge piece of land, which is part of the controversial Lavasa Lake City promoted by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). NASA plans to invest more than Rs 150 crore over this project. Located around 45 kilometers west of Pune, the theme park would be aimed at attracting youngsters and tourists towards NASA's activities. NASA is also giving a thought to set up a research and development centre at this venue, which would primarily be aimed at new technologies and space browsing, sources claimed."

Editor's note: I cannot imagine that this story - posted by an otherwise respectable publication - is remotely close to being true. That said, many of you seem to think there is a possibility that it could be true. Get a grip, folks.

UK Rocket Car Has Dual Propulsion Modes

Supersonic car targets 1,000mph, BBC

"The Ministry of Defence is lending the team engines that were used in the flight development programme for the Typhoon. These test engines are beyond combat use but have more than sufficient working time left in them to power Bloodhound. The EJ200 will produce about 20,000 lbs of thrust (90 kilonewtons) and will sit underneath a hybrid rocket engine that produces about 25,000 lbs of thrust (110kN). The rocket will provide most of the power to get Bloodhound close to the speed of sound (Mach 1); the Typhoon engine will enable Andy Green to throttle up to the target speed of 1,000mph (Mach 1.4)."

Editor's note: Wouldn't it be interesting if NASA were to combine its recent interest in NASCAR with what the Rocket Racing League is up to and provide surplus engines, etc.

NASA Needs To Stop Complaining and Adapt

NASA and Engineering Integrity, text of speech given by Mike Griffin at the Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium

"NASA cannot be effective as an organization if the decisions of its managers are judged by the space community to be generally lacking in either competence or fairness, and that is why such criticisms in Space News, The Orlando Sentinel, and elsewhere, especially the blogosphere, are deeply disconcerting. If it is not obvious that objective expertise underlies NASA decisions and actions, then the civil space program will grind to a halt in response to one searching examination after another by various other governmental entities which claim the right of agency oversight, and can make it stick. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to be able to explain how a decision was reached, why a particular technical approach was chosen, or why a contract was awarded to one bidder instead of another."

NASA chief: Criticism hurting space agency morale

"Unfounded criticism of America's next-generation moon rocket is hurting NASA morale but hasn't stopped progress on the craft, the space agency's administrator Michael Griffin said Tuesday. Griffin said critics in the media and on anonymous Internet blogs can "chip away" at the agency by questioning the motives and ethics of engineers designing the new rockets. Briefing charts used by NASA managers sometimes show up on Web sites without the proper context, he said, and opponents of the agency's plans to replace the space shuttle with two new rockets have wrongly accused NASA managers of incompetence and worse."

Editor's note: Point taken. There is no excuse for sloppy blogging/journalism, incorrect facts, not placing things into context. etc. That said, all I can say is poor NASA - stuck in the 20th Century. A decade ago there was only NASA Watch. Now there are hundreds of space blogs. Soon there will be thousands. Get used to it. NASA needs to adapt to the world that it exists in, Mike. The world is not going to wait for NASA to catch up. And with the collective, time-compressed, multitasking ADD exhibited by the younger, digital generation, this situation is only going to be compounded.

The private sector is adapting. Why can't NASA?

P.S. When the participants in a PDR make comments such as these about serious flaws in the process of designing the Ares rocket, the public has a right to know - as does the rest of the agency's workforce.

Dan Goldin's Faster-Better-Cheaper Official Portrait

Official Portraits Draw Skeptical Gaze, Washington Post

"By comparison, the $25,000 that NASA paid for a portrait of former administrator Daniel S. Goldin and the $29,500 that the Environmental Protection Agency spent for one of the outgoing administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, look like bargains."

You Just Keep On Blogging, Linda

NASA Goddard CIO Blog: But I Blog
 
"I am often asked why on earth do I blog; why would a federal CIO want to blog; and where do you get the courage to do this. All fascinating questions that I thought about when I started and revisited as I got an email from a CIO colleague last week...

... The note from Jim came on the heels of a hurtful criticism of my blog. I was reminded of an incident that happened when I was a teenager. I had to play a Mozart French Horn concerto. I made a mistake, freaked out and ran off the stage crying. The band director made me play again. I practiced more and made it through, but barely. I don't think I ever recovered from that stage fright; and there are many times when this blogger wants to run off the stage crying, but I blog."

Editor's note: You Just Keep On Blogging, Linda. NASA gets better every time you do.

NASA Conference Travel Update

NASA Internal Memo: New Controls on NASA Conference Participation in FY 09

"The NASA Authorization Act, H.R. 6063, which has passed both the House and the Senate, is awaiting signature by the President. It contains a new provision restricting National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) total authorized spending on conferences to $5 million in FY 09."

NASA GSFC Internal Memo: Guidance on Restricted Use of FY 2009 Funds for Conference Attendance
NASA GSFC Internal Memo: [600_gov] Conference Travel
NASA ARC Internal Memo: Message from the Center Director - Conference Limitation
IFPTE Memo to NASA ARC Employees Regarding Conference Limitation

NASA Advisory Council Has A New Chairman

Schmitt Completes NASA Advisory Council Service; Ford Named Chairman

"NASA Advisory Council Chairman Harrison "Jack" H. Schmitt announced Thursday he was leaving the council. Fellow council member Kenneth Ford will succeed him as chairman effective immediately. The NASA Advisory Council provides advice to the NASA administrator on important program and policy matters related to the U.S. space program."

President Signs NASA Authorization Act of 2008

White House Statement: "H.R. 6063, the "National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008," which authorizes appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for Fiscal Year 2009; requires NASA to add to its baseline flight manifest two Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station and take all necessary steps to fly a third additional Shuttle mission; requires NASA to take steps to ensure that the International Space Station remains viable through at least 2020; and affirms congressional support for U.S. space exploration policy;"

OMB Statement of Adminstration Policy H.R. 6063 - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008

"The Space Shuttle must be retired by the end of 2010, and the NASA Administrator's authority to make the final determination on Shuttle flights based on safety considerations must be preserved. In addition, any increased cost of an additional Shuttle flight must be satisfactorily accommodated within the President's proposed discretionary spending total."

Administrator's Statement on Signing of the NASA Authorization Act

AIP FYI FYI #101: NASA Authorization Bill Enacted

Additional items related to H.R. 6063

Space on 8th Avenue Tonight

Editor's note: I was walking down 8th Avenue in New York this evening with astronaut Scott Parazynski after dinner with Leroy and Karen Chiao, my wife, Scott, and noted sailor Alex Whitworth when I spotted a familiar face: Peter Smith. He was about to walk into an event sponsored by Popular Mechanics: Breakthrough Awards which honors a number of technological innovators including those behind the Mars Phoenix Lander. Leroy, Scott, and I are in town for the Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Annual Dinner tomorrow night. Scott and Leroy are among the award winners. Small world.

Using Google to Make Up Science Stories

Editor's note: Another gem from the Washington Examiner: "Turns out that pop star Janet Jackson may have more in common with astronauts than her nutsy moon-walkin' brother Michael Jackson ever dreamed of. Jackson, Janet, has had to cancel appearances because of a condition called "vestibular migraine"--which sounds a lot like the vestibular disturbances of space adaptation syndrome (SAS)--or space sickness."

"Sounds a lot like" Hmm. Lets Google up some quotes with similar words. But talk to an expert on the topic and see if there is any relationship between these two topics? Nah.