Learning Lessons Learned

Advice from NASA's Wayne Hale: Leading Your Leaders

"When I was a new NASA employee, my branch chief put together a training class that has been on my mind recently. Among the other things he taught us new employees was that we had to lead our leaders. That has always been good advice. I'd like to share some of those thoughts and expand on them."

Rep. Miller's Staff Seeks Space Bimbo Info

House Panel Second Guessing NASA's Zero-G Contract Award, Space.com

"Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), chairman of the investigations and oversight subcommittee, sent two letters to NASA Administrator Mike Griffin April 15 requesting materials related to the Zero-G deal. Miller's first letter, according to sources familiar with the document, included multiple allegations disputed by Zero-G, among them that the company conducted a weightless flight for the makers of the "Girls Gone Wild" video series."

Editor's note: Miller's staff quickly sent a second letter without the false allegations in it. This "Girls Gone Wild" urban myth is really old news and was openly disavowed years ago. Indeed a simple phone call to ZeroG would have been all that that Miller's staff needed to do. The fact that Rep. Miller would allow such a sloppily unresearched letter to be sent as an offical request to NASA calls the credibilty of his own staff into question. I wonder of the staff bothered to get a copy of the actual weightless bimbo video and look at the credits .... What's next - requesting photos of the alien bodies stored in freezers at JSC?

Here's the internal memo ARC circulated to employees several weeks ago asking for information:TO: Resident Staff

FROM: Thomas W. Berndt, Chief Counsel/ Deborah Feng, Director (Acting), Strategic Communications

SUBJECT: Urgent Request for Zero-G related Documents

NASA Headquarters has requested that Ames personnel provide the following documents in response to an official House Science & Technology Committee inquiry:

(1) All records relating to research collaborations between NASA and Zero-G to be implemented at Ames Research Center;

(2) All records related to the use of Ames and Moffett Field by Zero-G for the company's non-governmental activities.

Because of the urgent nature of this request by Congress, we ask that all Ames employees with documents, as described above, to please forward hard paper copies no later than COB Monday, April 21 to Terence Pagaduan, Mail Stop 943-4.

Please contact Mr. Pagaduan at ext. 4-1181 if you have any questions.

Thank you for your assistance on this important matter.

Alternatives to the VSE - The Report

NRC Report: United States Civil Space Policy: Summary of a Workshop

"What are the principal purposes, goals, and priorities of the U.S. civil space program? This question was the focus of the workshop on civil space policy held November 29-30, 2007, by the Space Studies Board (SSB) and the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) of the National Research Council (NRC). In addressing this question, invited speakers and panelists and the general discussion from this public workshop explored a series of topics."

NASA Credit Cards: Christmas Trees, t-shirts, and iPods

Review shows NASA employees bought seemingly personal items, AP

"Among the transactions questioned by NASA investigators last year were 393 charges to a graphics support vendor totaling more than $235,000 - so much money that not bidding the purchases competitively may have been illegal, documents show. "That should send up a red flag," said Scott Amey, general counsel of the Project on Government Oversight, a government watchdog organization. "You have to ask: Is somebody trying to get around competitive requirements?"

NASA employees big spenders on government credit, Houston Chronicle

"NASA employees have made numerous charges for seemingly personal items, including custom-engraved iPods and a Christmas tree. About $270 worth of T-shirts and hats purchased from a NASA gift shop were justified by one cardholder as "safety attire," and one former civil servant pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges last year after spending more than $157,000 on things including jewelry, electronics and an air conditioner for her home."

Report on NASA ignites call for credit card crackdown, Houston Chronicle

"Congressional supporters of a bill meant to curb government credit card abuse called Monday for stricter sanctions -- including termination and jail time -- against employees who misuse the cards at NASA, as well as other agencies."

Will Nick Lampson Be the 'Go To' Guy For Space?

Top Dems tout Lampson as voice of NASA, Houston Chronicle

"The Democrats' designation of Lampson as the prospective chairman of the space and technology subcommittee of the Science Committee in a House that's widely expected to remain in Democratic hands next year could help broaden his support and campaign contributors, some analysts said. An estimated 20,000 families in the 22nd Congressional District draw their livelihoods from jobs at the Johnson Space Center or NASA contractors. "Signaling his chairmanship early puts down a marker to NASA, contractors and their families that, 'If you want to keep your business flowing, you better take care of me,' " said Bob Stein, a Rice University political scientist. "Ironically, that's a page right out of Tom DeLay's playbook."

More Than Your Regular Ride Home From Space

Astronaut calls landing 'one big hit and a roll', CNN

"From inside the capsule I had no perspective that we actually had bounced, it was just one big hit and a roll," Whitson said Friday in a telephone interview from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Soyuz astronaut recalls terrifying descent, Houston Chronicle

"I have no doubt we will get the best investigation possible," said Mike Suffredini, NASA's space station program manager."I think the best minds in Russia are working on this."

The Queen Of All NASA Media

Michael Griffin By Marsha Ivins, The Time 100

"Mike Griffin, 58, had wanted to be administrator of NASA since the inception of the agency. To him, the appeal of the job was never about position or title but about the fact that space fired his imagination. It still does, and now, thanks to him, manned exploration of the moon and Mars is becoming a real possibility."

Editor's note: Of all the people they could have chosen, Time just happened to pick Number One Griffin pal and self-professed communications expert Marsha Ivins. What a coincidence. Did she bother to tell Time's millions of readers that she and Griffin are close friends? Nah, why tell people about possible biases, eh?

• Petty Politics and Uncoordinated Outreach at NASA, earlier post about how Marsha attempts to shape communications policy at NASA


• New TV Special Under Development at NASA?, earlier post about one of Marsha's projects that flopped

Brian Barton's Higher Calling

Cardinals' Barton is a space case,Yahoo Sports

"One day, he wants to go into space. Brian Barton turned 26 earlier this week, and though the astronaut dream tends to die about the time hormones bloom and adolescence rages, Barton never could abandon it. "The sky's the limit," he likes to say, and in this instance, he does so standing in front of his locker in the St. Louis Cardinals' clubhouse. He takes the cliche literally and figuratively, the former in his desire to float in the atmosphere and the latter in the career he has carved out in the meantime."

Charity Auction: John Glenn, Tour Guide

"Dear Nasawatch: The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial is proud to be auctioning off a tour of the National Air and Space Museum with Senator John Glenn for four people. Senator Glenn will be your personal escort to the amazingly small Friendship 7, which he rode to glory as the first American to have orbited the earth. Check out https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=13511

He will guide you around the incredible Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington DC. You'll be right next to many of the other legends of flight, too, the mechanical ones; from Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, to the X-1, which finally broke the speed of sound, and on to spacecraft that have gone to the moon and back.

You can talk shop about his experiences, the current space program, his views on today's NASA and more.

We're also offering a walk on role with Johnny Depp in the thriller about J. Edgar Hoover's hunt for John Dillenger, PUBLIC ENEMIES ($32,000), the tennis lesson with Andre Agassi ($57,500), meeting Owen Wilson at the premiere of MARLEY AND ME ($1,800), tea with former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan ($11,000), and all the lunches, set visits, and more with the likes of Chris Matthews ($2,550), Tim Russert ($1,550), Joe Scarborough ($3,050), Larry King ($1,300), Tom Brokaw ($4,500), Tom Friedman ($1,252), and other DC political news heavyweights.

Virgin Galactic Continues To Think Outside the Box

Virgin Galactic seeks space agents, Arabian Business

"Travel agents will have the opportunity to apply to sell space travel in partnership with the Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Office in Dubai, with selected applicants joining a shortlist from which the chosen sales agents will be announced."

Mission Virgin Galactic

Today's Sicko Posting

Deborah Jeane Palfrey To Be Remembered On Moon, Wonkette

Editor's  note:  When NASA sets these well-intentioned things up you just know someone is eventually going to pull a stunt (in rather bad taste) like this sooner or later.

Send Your Name to the Moon With New Lunar Mission, NASA

Kathleen Connell Joins NASA Watch as a Guest Blogger

Thank you to NASA Watch for inviting guest bloggers like myself to post on this nicely remodeled site.

My focus is on "space solutions of benefit to humanity," which I discuss on my blog, http://www.missiontohumanity.com. I suspect that if we, in the U.S., attempted to generate measurable returns on the public space investment as a matter of space policy, we might well see more national support for an increase in our public sector space budget. In an era of many crushing demands on the U.S. taxpayer, tangible returns from every public investment are critical.

National and global challenges, including global warming, health advances, natural disaster mitigation, aging populations, societal parity for women and children, universal education, poverty, clean economic development, and international space economic development partnerships are all areas in which space can provide constructive solutions.

I welcome your views on this topic, as well as suggestions about how to grow a robust space portfolio focused on returns for the U.S. taxpayer and for all humankind.

So with this brief introduction to a complex topic, I want to ask the NASA Watch community a question: Over the next decade, should the United States commit to both space exploration and intentional space solutions to American and global challenges? Thanks in advance for your views.

Hubble Servicing Mission Delayed

NASA: Hubble mission delayed until fall for fuel tank work, AP

"NASA's final visit to the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed at least a month, until the fall, because of extra time needed to build the shuttle fuel tanks needed for the flight and a potential rescue mission. Atlantis and a crew of seven were supposed to fly to Hubble at the end of August, but now won't make the journey until the end of September or early October. Shuttle program manager John Shannon said it's taken more time to incorporate all the post-Columbia design changes to the external fuel tanks than had been expected."

NASA Watch 3.0

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

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

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

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

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

Rockets Vs Fish

CCA Florida issues comments opposing NASA launch sites, Sport Fishing

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

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

India Breaks Launch Record - and Sets Its Sights Higher

India's PSLV Successfully Launches Ten Satellites

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

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

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

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

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

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

National Academies Reports Coming Out Soon

The following reports are tentatively scheduled for release during May:

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

NASA's Glenn Closed due to Water Main Break

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

Stupid Movie Alert

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

David James Elliott to lead 'Impact', Hollywood Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NASA Advisory Council: Lack of Transparency and Needless Delays

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

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

So much for openness at NASA.

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

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

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

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

Stories That Are Too Cute to be True

German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper, AFP

"Nico Marquardt used telescopic findings from the Institute of Astrophysics in Potsdam (AIP) to calculate that there was a 1 in 450 chance that the Apophis asteroid will collide with Earth, the Potsdamer Neuerster Nachrichten reported. NASA had previously estimated the chances at only 1 in 45,000 but told its sister organisation, the European Space Agency (ESA), that the young whizzkid had got it right."

Editor's note: Reliable sources report that this story is inaccurate - at best. Stay tuned.

NASA Statement on Student Asteroid Calculations

"Contrary to recent press reports, NASA offices involved in near-Earth object research were not contacted and have had no correspondence with a young German student, who claims the Apophis impact probability is far higher than the current estimate."

Apophis risk not increased: science fair judges, world media screw up big time, Cosmos4u

"Well, here's what NASA's NEO guru Don Yeomans told this blog yesterday: "We have not corresponded with this young man and this story is absurd, a hoax or both. During its 2029 Earth close approach, Apophis will approach the Earth to about 38,900 km, well inside the geosynchronous distance at 42,240 km. However, the asteroid will cross the equatorial belt at a distance of 51,000 km - well outside the geosynchronous distance. Since the uncertainty on Apophis' position during the Earth close approach is about 1500 km, Apophis cannot approach an Earth satellite. Apophis will not cross the moon's orbital plane at the Moon's orbital distance so it cannot approach the moon either."

Yuri's Night Follow up

NASA Ames' director talks Yuri's Night, Google, and more, CNet

"Q: Why is NASA hosting this event?

Worden: Tonight, there are at least four NASA centers doing it. The fundamental issue facing NASA is that we're embarking on the most significant step that has ever been done in space. The next step is settling the solar system."

NASA Spinoff: Data Storage Devices That Play Music

Opinion L.A., LA Times

"And the iPods, all $800 bucks' worth, were purchased by a NASA supervisor who -- and I stress, this is true -- had his name engraved on each of them. Obviously there are more egregious cases in the GAO study, but these are the most fun ones."

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

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

Reader note: I am a NASA civil servant at the Marshall Space Flight Center with a current government travel card and previous holder of a government purchase card. I don't know if our purchase restrictions are at the Center or Agency level (your story would suggest Center level) but at Marshall, they put in strict controls over what can be purchased, to the point of legitimate meal purchases (bag of chips at a gas station) being denied. ...

... I will make no excuses for any civil servant who fraudulently uses a government charge card. However, this is a problem that Congress could easily solve: impose the restrictions that NASA Marshall has implemented. While the civil servants who misuse the system should to jail, Congress has no one to blame but themselves for not imposing these restrictions in the first place. If NASA can do it, then so can other government agencies and Congress should force them to do so. As a taxpayer, I am deeply offended that people get away with this.

Chemical Spill Scare at GSFC Forces Evacuation

NASA Officials Say No Chemicals Released During Incident at Goddard

"NASA Goddard officials have announced that an incident earlier this evening in a building at Goddard did not involve a chemical spill or release of any hazardous material. Managers believe that a malfunction in the high volume air conditioning system caused humidity to vent and a condensation cloud to form."

Earlier posts

NASA Building Evacuated for Chemical Spill, ABC 7

Goddard Building Evacuated, ABC 2

"Around 5:30 p.m. today, the Goddard Space Flight Center was evacuated due to an unknown chemical spill from inside the building."

Editor's earlier note:Word has it that the spill was in Building 5.

Beam Me Up Dana

Editor's note: Today's hearing on NASA's exploration program was rather routine - and mundane. At least it stayed that way until Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) asked a rather odd question. Rohrabacher, the former space subcommittee chair, asked the panel if they knew of any "antigravity research" being done at NASA. After an awkward pause they all said "no". Rohrabacher did not give a reason for asking this question and seemed satisfied with the answers he got.

Of course, antigravity would be a nifty way to solve all of Ares 1's weight problems.

Before you write this off as just a nutty question, I suspect that he asked this question just to get a pesky constituent off his back. You may think Rohrabacher is listening to a different drummer at times, but do recall that he was an early proponent of planetary defense from NEOs - and characterizing the potential threat they pose - something that has gone from fringe to mainstream - despite NASA's foot dragging. Then there was his constant pursuit of NASA on cost overruns, commercialization, technology transfer, and other things NASA has little inherent interest in pursuing. He also tried to teach Dan Goldin how to surf.

Oh yes. He is also one of the prime reasons why this Democrat (me) gets to ask questions at NASA press events.

So let's not write him off - just yet.

Our Past Future - 40 Years Ago Today

2001: A Space Odyssey, Wikipedia

"2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 science fiction film directed by Stanley Kubrick, written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke. The film deals with thematic elements of human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, and extraterrestrial life, and is notable for its scientific realism, pioneering special effects, provocatively ambiguous and often surreal imagery, sound in place of traditional narrative techniques, and a very minimal use of dialogue. ... The film's world premiere was on April 2, 1968, at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C."

Editor's note: Have another look at the film's opening (below). Please play this as loud as you possibly can.

Where we could have been by now

Life Imitates Art

Google and Virgin Buy Mars

Google and Virgin announce Mars expedition and colony

"The Virgle 100 Year Plan's milestones will include Virgle Pioneer selection (2008-2010), the first manned journey to Mars (2016), a Virgle Inc. initial public offering to capitalize on the first manned journey to Mars (2016), the founding of the first permanent Martian municipality, Virgle City (2050), and the achievement of a truly self-sustaining Martian civilization with a population exceeding 100,000 (2108).

"Virgle is the ultimate application of a principle we've always believed at Google: that you can do well by doing good," said Google co-founder Larry Page, who plans to share leadership of the new Martian civilization with Branson and Google co-founder Sergey Brin."

Editor's note: Yes, I know, it is April Fool's day - but this is fun ... so why not play along!

IARPAWatch: Lisa Porter Re-emerges

Introducing Iarpa! It's Like Darpa, But for Spies, Wired

"Picture Q as a tall blond woman with an American accent, and you've got Porter. Lisa Porter. She's the first head of America's new Q branch, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity -- Iarpa for short -- a fledgling office charged with outfitting US spooks with the highest-tech information-gathering gadgetry."

NASA Gen Y: You Have Things Easy By Comparison

Editor's note: For those of you who looked at the recent NASA Gen Y presentation, I suggest that you look at this Powerpoint presentation created by the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) organization in Nepal. The similarities both in format - and message - are striking.

I am headed to Nepal in a few weeks and am hoping to bring my OLPC XO solid state drive laptop with me to Everest Base Camp - as an operational backup for my modified Macbook - and as something to use in the villages Scott and I will visit on our way back down to Kathmandu.

- NASA Generation Y Briefing, 2.4 MB PDF
- Donate a n XO Laptop to a child in a developing nation
- Attention Gen Y

Childhood's End

Sci-fi writer Clarke laid to rest, BBC

"Music from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was played at the funeral and members of the family which had adopted him cried as his coffin was lowered. "Here lies Arthur C Clarke. He never grew up and did not stop growing," his gravestone in Colombo is to read, in accordance with the author's wishes."

Dom In Space

Volunteer spends 12 weeks in bed to help NASA, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Dom Prinzo will end his mission and return to earth on Monday, March 31. Soon after his 7 a.m. wakeup call, he'll be tilted upward in his bed, a few degrees every half hour. He'll be vertical by 11 a.m. Then, maybe a bit like Frankenstein's monster, he'll take his first careful steps after 12 weeks in bed at the Cleveland Clinic."

Editor's note: Dom Prinzo has dedicated a substantial period of his life to space exploration. Please take the time to read Dom in Space - Dom's official blog - and be certain to say hello and thank him for his contribution to human spaceflight.

Huntsville Is Allowing Its Own History to Rot

NASA's Skylab Trainer Is Still Rotting In The Rain

"In March of 2007 the temporary weather cover put in place by the volunteers was blown off one third of the low deck during a storm. Despite repeated requests to the curator and CEO of the US Space and Rocket Center, no effort has been made to pull the weather cover back in place. It's now been one year. This is blind neglect of a historic space artifact."

Reader note: "The US Space and Rocket center is allowing people who contribute $10,000 to have private time in the Apollo 16 command module. For your $10,000 you and an unlimited number of guests get to sit in it, sit on the crew couches, play with the controls, and do anything you want. I wonder if the National Air and Space Museum knows about this? This is abuse of a space flown national treasure."

Editor's update: It would seem that the USSRC is denying that people are allowed inside the Apollo 16 Command module to look around and pose for pictures. This image shows a USSRC employee and a donor inside the Apollo 16 command module. I know who the donor is and have blurred his face. He is a very decent person and only wants to help the USSRC out i.e. he has done nothing wrong. Why the USSRC is denying things like this happen is odd. Perhaps they know that it is in violation of Smithsonian policies. Oh yes. I have more images.

Griffin's Coronation

FSC Cites Administrator of NASA

Editor's note: Check out the photo. Thanks IK!

Just What JSC PAO Needs - An Overt Bush Politico

Editor's note: Ellen Engelman Conners has been selected as the new Director of External Relations at JSC replacing Eileen Halwey (who will be missed). Conners is a consumate Bush loyalist and overt politico - and a Huckabee supporter. Looks like she is burrowing into a career SES position now that the Bush Administration is coming to an end. She is currently the Senior Deputy Bureau Chief at FCC Headquarters in Washington DC. Prior to that she was at the NTSB. As for her previous experience with space exploration: by all accounts it is zero. Oh well - a hearty welcome from NASA Watch, Ellen!

Safety Chief in Holding Pattern - Relations With Colleagues Called Frosty and Petty

"Engleman Conners has not been popular among her peers at the board. Last year, she got into a high-profile spat with three of the four other board members that led to members' not speaking to one another and Engleman Conners working much of the time from the NTSB Academy in Ashburn, Va., rather than at headquarters in Washington."

New Strife at the NTSB under Engleman-Connors Leadership

"NTSB members are strongly dissatisfied with the way in which Board chairman Ellen Engleman Conners is attempting to curb their activities. Three Board members-Carol Carmody, Richard Healing and Deborah Hersman-sent a letter to the chairman late this summer expressing their concerns."

Transportation safety board's Engleman Conners withdraws nomination for second chairmanship term, Progressive Railroading

"National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Ellen Engleman Conners recently sent a letter to President Bush to withdraw her nomination for a second term as board chairman. The president nominated her in April."

Exiting From the Game Doesn't Dispel Clouds, WS Journal

"MOVING OVER: National Transportation Safety Board insiders twitter over the FCC's hiring of former chairwoman Ellen Engleman Conners for the managing director's office. Internal strife marred Conners's three-year NTSB term, where complaints, including from fellow Republicans, ranged from how she resolved a backlog of safety issues to how she divvied up office supplies."

Safety Chief in Holding Pattern - Relations With Colleagues Called Frosty and Petty

"She often joked to colleagues that she was determined to live the life of a spinster aboard her houseboat on the Potomac with her five cats -- each of which had its own life preserver."

Editor's Cats' response: We think this is a fine attribute for a human to have.

Griffin Urges That You "Police" Free Speech and Make People Who Speak Out Feel "Unwelcome".

NASA Policy on the Release of Information to News and Information Media, 30 March 2006

"(a) NASA, a scientific and technical agency, is committed to a culture of openness with the media and public that values the free exchange of ideas, data, and information as part of scientific and technical inquiry. Scientific and technical information from or about Agency programs and projects will be accurate and unfiltered."

The Reality of Tomorrow: Speech by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin at the Goddard Memorial Symposium 5 March 2008

"Let us speak openly and honestly about the problems we face in carrying out our nation's space program. Over the course of my career in this business, I have often been disheartened by the large number of diverse "entrepreneurs" in search of NASA funding who place their self interests over the greater good of the aerospace community. They do not respect the priorities set out for NASA by our duly-elected stakeholders in the White House and Congress, or even the priorities of their own respective science communities in National Academy decadal surveys. Even worse, the rift and harsh rhetoric between proponents of robotic science and human spaceflight does not help our nation's overall space effort one iota, but it does cause division that weakens us. If we wish a better reality for tomorrow, we as a community must police this behavior; those who engage in it must be made to feel, and be, unwelcome in the community at large. My hope for today is that there will in the future be more respect for each others' work."

Editor's note: Mike Griffin's statements at the Goddard Memorial Symposium last week would seem to utterly contradict what NASA put forth in the communications policy issued in March 2006. And just who does Mike Griffin think he is by advocating that anyone should "police" speech in a country where such speech is protected by the Constitution - under any possible circumstance as it relates to NASA? Moreover, what possible moral or legal authority does he have to suggest that "those who engage in it must be made to feel, and be, unwelcome in the community at large"? The fact that a Presidential appointee would say things like this in public - on the record - is troubling.

I hear a clock ticking.

Ah, Those Wacky Brits

First advert to be broadcast into space, University of Leicester

"The campaign to broadcast the first ever advert into space is launched today ... On 12th June, the space-bound ad will be broadcast from a 500MHz Ultra High Frequency Radar from the EISCAT Space Centre in Svalbard, which lies in the Arctic Ocean about midway between northern Norway and the North Pole."

Jodrell Bank fears funding loss, BBC

"Scientists at one of the world's most advanced observatories are facing an uncertain future, with a closure threat hanging over its flagship project."

UK astronomers to broadcast adverts to aliens, The Telegraph

"The cosmic stunt marks a small step for man, a giant leap for advertising hype and underlines the desperation of British astronomers to find new sources of funding as they struggle to cope with swingeing cuts that now threaten institutions such as Jodrell Bank, the world famous observatory in Cheshire."

Editor's note: Where do I start? I hate to break it the Brits, but the first advertisements "broadcast into space" were sent out nearly a century ago (didn't you guys see "Contact"?). Second, if you are so concerned about the prospect of closure of your country's radio telescope at Jodrell Bank, why not spend the money in the UK by mount a PR campaign, and send the message from Jodrell Bank - instead of going up to Svalbard?

Today's Video: NASA's Press Release Titles Need Better Editors

NASA's Johnson Allows Phone Participation in Mission News Briefings

Editor's note: Doesn't ANYONE proof read these press release titles at PAO before they go out? ("NASA's Johnson"). The first thing that came to mind was this segment from Austin Powers... (yes it is a slow news day).

Ranking NASA Spinoffs - Myth Vs Fact

Top NASA Spin-offs, Rankopedia

"NASA, a branch of the USA government, has provided a huge number of technological spin-offs since founding in 1960. But which one(s) are the best? Integrated circuits? Sel-righting life-rafts? Automated urinalysis? The sports bra? What's your call?"

NASAWatch Bloggers Wanted

Editor's note: I will be in Nepal between 18 April and the beginning of June. I will be providing support at Everest Base Camp (elevation 17,500 ft.) for a month for a team of climbers who will be heading for the summit. Among the climbers is STS-120 astronaut Scott Parazynski. We'll also have a bunch of NASA folks visiting us at Base Camp for a few days during the month of May. I am going on this trip representing the Challenger Center for Space Science Education on whose board of directors I serve. I will have regular Internet access - most of the time - but it will be slow and somewhat expensive. While I will be providing updates on life at base camp and the team's progress (that is what my job will be) over at OnOrbit.com I will not be able to run NASAWatch in the fashion that you folks are used to. My solution: guest bloggers.

If you are interested in being a guest blogger on NASAWatch send me an email at nasawatch@spaceref.com.

Editor's update: I have gotten a nice response from potential bloggers. I will get something out to all of you within a week or so once I figure out to best feature your diverse talents and interests. In the mean time there are still openings for guest bloggers on NASA Watch.

Silent Sputnik

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's Remarks to the Space Flight Suppliers Conference

"And when it comes to being a recognized leader in the world, is it any wonder why China has emerged in recent years as one of the three spacefaring nations? They understand the value of space activities as a driver for innovation and a source of national pride in being a member of the world's most exclusive club. China today not only flies its own taikonauts, but also has plans to launch about 100 satellites over the next five to eight years. It should be no surprise, especially to those who have read Tom Friedman's book "The World is Flat" or John Kao's "Innovation Nation", that this environment in China is breeding thousands of high-tech start-ups. As John Kao couches the issue, America is currently facing a "Silent Sputnik" where "many countries are racing for a new innovation high ground while our own advantages are showing signs of serious wear."

NASA Needs Better Email Management

NASA IG: Manage official e-mail messages better, FCW

"NASA employees are not properly managing their official e-mail records due to unfinished guidance and a lack of training, according to an inspector general's report."

Final Memorandum on Audit of Retention of NASA's Official Electronic Mail, NASA OIG

Saying No To Penn & Teller

Editor's note: I just got the following email from the producer of a popular Showtime TV series. I declined the offer to participate since they have already made up their mind on the topic and anything I might say would likely be ignored or possibly edited and used out of context:

"I'm working on a Showtime series documentary/comedy series called "Penn & Teller: Bullsh*t." The program is in production on its sixth season, and is unlike anything else on TV. We mix irreverent comedy with the foundation of a series documentary - shining a spotlight on controversial issues such as the death penalty, prostitution, world peace and even things like circumcision, bottled water, PETA and pet love.

We've interviewed NASA critics, supporters, insiders and even a Challenger family member. I'm just wondering if you agree or disagree with our basic position - and if you have anything else to add?

Green Spinoffs

Space is the place, Sustainable Industries Magazine

"Beyond giving boosts to innovative technologies, NASA is driven by a need to stay grounded and relevant to people's everyday lives by doing things other than just making rockets," says Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who's now one of its most prominent watchdogs. And, like many agencies, Cowing says NASA is often hindered by lack of staff and budget, pulled in different directions by changing administration priorities."

Cross-Waiver of Liability: Final rule

NASA: Cross-Waiver of Liability: Final rule

"SUMMARY: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is amending its regulations which provide the regulatory basis for cross- waiver provisions used in the following two categories of NASA agreements: agreements for International Space Station (ISS) activities pursuant to the ``Agreement Among the Government of Canada, Governments of Member States of the European Space Agency, the Government of Japan, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the United States of America concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station'' (commonly referred to as the ISS Intergovernmental Agreement, or IGA); and launch agreements for science or space exploration activities unrelated to the ISS."

Not In My Back Yard

Hundreds tell NASA: Wildlife refuge is for birds, not rockets, Orlando Sentinel

"With the shuttle program winding down, NASA is considering offering some of its 140,000 acres at KSC for commercial ventures. Rockets launched from the private pad could be used to transport cargo, astronauts, satellites and even tourists into space. But dozens urged NASA to consider using abandoned launch pads at the nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station."

Official Government Orders on How To Spin The ASAT Test

OASD Satellite Engagement Communications Plan 14 Feb 2008, Govermentattic

"Public Affairs Posture - Following the public announcement by DoD, OSD public affairs will encourage an active posture in discussing this specific engagement and the situation. Questions beyond the scope of this guidance will be referred to OASD/PA. DoD has the PA lead through engagement, reentry and tracking phases. The debris field from this reentry could extend over multiple areas, over multiple days. If debris from this satellite lands in the United States, lead for public affairs shifts to DHS. If debris from this satellite lands outside the United States, lead for public affairs remains with DoD, with DOS supporting through public diplomacy activities in any affected foreign countries."

ASAT Test Update

Navy Missile Hits Spy Satellite, AP

"A missile launched from a Navy cruiser soared 130 miles above the Pacific and smashed a dying and potentially deadly U.S. spy satellite Wednesday, the Pentagon said. Several defense officials said it apparently achieved the main aim of destroying an onboard tank of toxic fuel."

Department of Defense Background Briefing on the Satellite Intercept Attempt

"So we're now into the window, okay, the length of the window. There's some significant ambiguity at the back end of the window, based, as I said at the time, on how high the atmosphere is on any given day, because that then tells you when the satellite naturally would start to hit the atmosphere. So we want to catch it before it naturally hits the atmosphere, because when it hits the atmosphere, it tumbles and it's next to impossible to track. So we're pretty comfortable right now that we'll have windows available to us through about the 29th or 30th. And then after that it will really start to become, let's say, more ambiguous, because we're trying to predict the weather out that far. So that's kind of the period, starting today and running basically out to about the 29th."

Editor's note: "30th" - of February? I would think these military types would have a slightly better command of the calendar than this. Isn't that sort of thing sort of useful when calculating orbits? (good catch Kevin S.)

USA 193 Shoot Down Attempt On Thursday

Satellite attack planned for Feb. 21 - right during the lunar eclipse?, The Cosmic Mirror

"A Notice to Airmen has been issued closing a zone near Maui for air traffic on the morning of Feb. 21 from 2:30 to 5:00 UTC - and the to-be-hit satellite USA 193 is crossing that very zone around 3:30 UTC. Furthermore it has been noted that this is during totality of the total lunar eclipse that night which may aid the optical tracking of faint fragments."

Sources: Navy to shoot down failed satellite Thursday, CNN

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said there's nothing the military can do to make the outcome worse. "If we miss, nothing changes. If we shoot and barely touch it, the satellite is just barely in orbit" and would still burn up somewhat in the atmosphere, Griffin said. "If we shoot and get a direct hit, that's a clean kill and we're in good shape," he added."

ASAT Test or Public Safety?

Shooting Down a Satellite: All in the Timing, Discovery

"This week, as the military unveiled its unprecedented plan to shoot down an ailing spy satellite, an ammonia tank once used aboard the International Space Station plummeted to Earth. So did the second stage of a Delta rocket that put an Italian radar imager into orbit in December. By week's end, part of a Russian Molniya rocket that left Russia's Plesetsk Cosmodrome in 1996 should dive into the atmosphere as well."

Satellite shoot-down shows missile muscle

"Asked if the modified SM-3 will be viewed by some foreign states as an ASAT weapon, Mr. Jeffries said that whatever other nations might think, "the truth" is that the missile strike is meant to prevent the hyrdazine tank from landing in a populated area."

Experts Scoff at Satellite Shoot-Down Rationale, Wired

"The Pentagon says it has to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite because of the threat of a toxic gas cloud. Space security experts are calling the rationale "comedic gold."

U.S. vows to pay for damage caused by satellite, Reuters

"U.S. officials said on Thursday that President George W. Bush had decided to have the Navy shoot the 5,000-pound (2,270 kg) satellite with a modified tactical missile after security advisers suggested its re-entry could lead to a loss of life."

Shooting Down NROL-21

Pentagon to shoot down broken spy satellite, AP

"The Pentagon is planning to shoot down a broken spy satellite expected to hit the Earth in early March, The Associated Press has learned. U.S. officials said Thursday that the option preferred by the Bush administration will be to fire a missile from a U.S. Navy cruiser, and shoot down the satellite before it enters Earth's atmosphere."

Heading off a toxic iceberg from space, MSNBC

"Griffin explained that the contents of the tank could turn to slush during the fall, but would very likely survive and leak toxic gas over the crash site. Another expert told msnbc.com privately that the solid ice would provide structural support against the 20 to 25 G's of deceleration experienced by the satellite during re-entry."

You Know This Movie Is Going to Look Great When ...

Lead Planetary Scientist Carolyn Porco to Advise on New Star Trek Movie

"Carolyn Porco, the leader of the Imaging Science team on NASA'S Cassini mission at Saturn, has accepted an invitation from Star Trek director/producer, J.J. Abrams, to join the Star Trek production crew as a consultant on planetary science and imagery."

Remembering

Letter From President Bush Regarding The Fifth Anniversary of The Columbia Accident

"They assumed great risk so we could understand what lies beyond. the heavens. Americans are grateful for their service, and they will always be cherished."

Message from the NASA Administrator: Day of Remembrance

"The last week of January brings, every year, a confluence of sobering anniversaries that we honor this Thursday with our Day of Remembrance. On Jan. 27, we marked 41 years since the loss of the crew of Apollo 1, and with it NASA's loss of innocence. The Apollo fire made it clear that we bring to spaceflight the same human flaws as our forebears who first sailed the ocean or went aloft in stick-and-wire contraptions. Successive generations have known the same harsh truth; the crew of Challenger was lost to us on Jan. 28, 22 years ago, and on Feb. 1 we mark five years since the loss of Columbia."

Incoming NRO Satellite Update

Columbia Data Aids Sat Re-entry Planning, Aviation Week & Space Technology

"Re-entry debris data and analysis derived from the space shuttle Columbia accident is being applied to Pentagon studies of how much of the failed National Reconnaissance Office NROL-21 spacecraft will survive re-entry heating and strike Earth in late February or early March. Several hundred pounds of spacecraft debris could land anywhere between 58.5 deg. north and south latitude. The orbit overflies all of the world's most populated areas. But statistically, the debris is far more likely to land harmlessly in an ocean, since water underlies more than 90 percent of the ground track."

Look - Why Its a Big ....

Defunct Spy Satellite Falling From Orbit, AP

"A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and propulsion and could hit the Earth in late February or March, government officials said Saturday. The satellite, which no longer be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret. "Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council."

NASA Hits The Road

NASA Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Seattle Future Forum

"Mayor Gregory J. Nickels has signed a proclamation recognizing NASA for its contribution to the space-related economy in the Seattle region, as well as its role in exploration, scientific discovery and research. The day of recognition coincides with a NASA Future Forum at the Museum of Flight in Seattle on Jan. 25, the first in a yearlong series of events across the country to mark the agency's 50th anniversary. NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale is the keynote speaker at the forum."

CSA President Quits

Canadian Space Agency President Resigns Amid MDA Deal, Nano2sol.com

"A day after the MDA deal to sell its space division to ATK we learn that the Canadian Space Agency president Laurier Boisvert resigned in December and was replaced on January 1st by Guy Bujold, an assistant deputy minister at Industry Canada."

Think Tank Get Together at NASA HQ

Editor's note: NASA will be holding a "Think Tank Roundtable" next Tuesday at NASA HQ. This event will include briefings for several dozen representives of Washington, DC organizations, think tanks, and industry on NASA's budget and major programs.

Griffin Interview in Physics Today

Planning NASA's future, Physics Today (subscription required)

"PT: What is your management style for running NASA?

GRIFFIN: If I had my way, I would do the job under an assumed name. I am not interested in ceremonial aspects of the job. They do exist, and I recognize that responsibility, but I don't like it. It's one of the aspects of the job that I would say was on the debit side of the balance sheet as opposed to the credit side, in taking the job.

Anytime that I can avoid a public appearance or anytime that I can be participatory as opposed to directive in a management meeting, I would do that. I would like people, if possible, to buy into my ideas on how NASA should be structured, organized, and run rather than accept them as commands. I am very comfortable with an agency in which there is discourse, argument, debate, and discussion before a decision is made.

My final decision will not improve because of my reluctance to hear opposing views. So I try to run my management meetings like any community of science and engineering professionals, by putting out theories, judgments, designs, and proofs or critique. And then the hope is that when we have all the best minds looking at the problem, the best answer emerges."

How To Get The Media Off the Air Safety Story

NASA plans to blow up Mars if asteroid misses, The Spoof

"We are all psyched up for a big explosion", said NASA administrator Michael Griffin. "If the asteroid doesn't hit then the American people will be disappointed. Therefore, we will send a small part of our nuclear arsenal to the red planet so we can see the big Kaboom!"

Editor's note: Heck - It should work - and ought get the media distracted from the ill-planned air safety plan rollout. After all, Anna Nicole's death saved NASA from additional bad Lisa Nowak news.

Help Maxim Readers Learn To Speak Like Rocket Scientists

Maxim magazine note: Maxim magazine is doing a big feature on the wacky world of NASA and they are looking to do a short segment on How to Speak NASA-ese. To use an example from NASA Watch, Holly Ridings was quoted saying "...we ingressed into Node 2..." Translation: "...we entered Node 2..." If you know of any great NASA-ese moments, please email the editors of Maxim at NASA@maxim.com.

I Think I'm Speaking NASAese - I Really Think So, Earlier Post

Happy Holidays From Mike Griffin

Editor's note: Here is a special Holiday greeting from Mike Griffin to all NASA Watch readers ...

NASA Watch on CNN

Editor's note: I will be on CNN - live - today (Wednesday) around 11:15 am EST. Update - I will be on CNN International - not CNN Domestic so it would seem.

Get Twitter - NOW

Editor's note: New ways of communicating are always appearing on the Internet - often out of nowhere. Twitter is one of the most fascinating - and infectious. I am now an addict - as are many of the folks at NASA who see how the future will work. You can follow my Twitter postings here - and I encourage you to get a Twitter account yourself. For a snapshot of how this all works globally, have a look at Twittervision - click on the 3D option and watch as instantaneous Twitter postings (called "Tweets") are mapped against a planetary context - in near real time.

Newsweek on How NASA PAO Should Operate

A Galaxy of PR Woe - Critiquing NASA's handling of a strange space walk, Newsweek

"This week, NASA released e-mails offering a glimpse into how the agency handled the scandal. One officer's e-mail suggested trying Nowak (who, along with her love interest, is no longer a member of the astronaut corps) in military court to limit media access, a suggestion the agency quickly dismissed. So how did the space crew do in fending off these public-relations asteroids? NEWSWEEK spoke with Gene Grabowski, vice president of Washington, D.C.-based Levick Strategic Communications, who worked damage control on the national pet-food recalls and the toxic Chinese toy imports earlier this year."

Arthur C Clarke: 90 Orbits And Counting

Sir Arthur C. Clarke's 90th Birthday Message

"Hello! This is Arthur Clarke, speaking to you from my home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. As I approach my 90th birthday, my friends are asking how it feels like, to have completed 90 orbits around the Sun. Well, I actually don't feel a day older than 89! Of course, some things remind me that I have indeed qualified as a senior citizen. As Bob Hope once said: "You know you're getting old, when the candles cost more than the cake!" I'm now perfectly happy to step aside and watch how things evolve. But there's also a sad side to living so long: most of my contemporaries and old friends have already departed. However, they have left behind many fond memories, for me to recall."

- The Space Elevator: 'Thought Experiment', or Key to the Universe?, Arthur C Clarke, Space Elevator Reference

- Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse, SpaceRef

Hey, where are all the press releases?

Editor's note:Something is really screwed up with NASA PAO. These two (very cool) press releases, one issued by JPL, the other by NASA HQ, never arrived in my email inbox - this despite the fact that I am on (or so I thought) every imaginable email distribution list NASA has. I stumbled across them elsewhere - and there is nothing wrong with my email server. First a screwed up telecon, now botched email LISTSERVs. Perhaps NASA should focus less on glitz, and more on content.

NASA: New Mission to Study Moon's Interior is Announced

NASA Mars Rover Spirit Investigates Signs of Steamy Martian Past

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch Postponed

NASA Reschedules Space Shuttle Launch No Earlier Than Saturday

"The launch of NASA's space shuttle Atlantis will take place no earlier than Saturday, Dec. 8, at 3:43 p.m. EST. Thursday's scheduled liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., was postponed because of a problem with a fuel cutoff sensor system inside the shuttle's external fuel tank. The fuel cutoff sensor system is one of several that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. Launch Commit Criteria require that three of the four sensor systems function properly before liftoff."

Goofy Commentary From NBC's Ann Curry

Editor's note: As she introduced a segment to air tomorrow (Thursday) on NBC's Today show featuring Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson, perky NBC host Ann Curry said "they told me that you could not be an astronaut if you were a girl." Really Ann. Just who are "they"?

Dilbert Does Space Tourism

Editor's note: Dilbert cartoon strip has had a series on space tourism running this we